Durham 178 for 5 (Armitage 64, Tulloch 2-38) beat Hampshire 146 for 8 (Dattani 33, Levick 2-28) by 32 runs

Durham won the toss and batted first in good conditions, putting a score of 178 for 5 on the board. Armitage’s 64 handed the hosts a good platform, but the Hawks pulled that back with a late flurry of wickets.

Hampshire’s chase got of to a slow start as they were restricted to rations by the Durham bowlers, who kept on chipping away with wickets. The visitors failed to recover as they were restricted to 146 for eight from their 20 overs.

Durham’s opening pair of Armitage and Mady Villiers made a good start in the opening exchanges at a scorching Banks Homes Riverside, with the latter hitting back-to-back fours.

The pair continued to motor, bringing up the 50 partnership, but that ended as Villiers was bowled by Hannah Hardwick in the final over of the powerplay.

The Hawks reined Durham in after a quick start. However, Emily Windsor broke the shackles, pummelling a Poppy Tulloch delivery down the ground.

Durham then found their groove once again with a flurry of boundaries, but Bex Tyson dropped Windsor with a caught and bowled opportunity, and the Durham number three was dropped again by Georgia Adams at mid-on from the next ball.

Hampshire finally clung on to one and made a vital breakthrough as they dismissed Windsor, who miscued an Adams ball straight to mid-off.

Armitage then brought up her half-century off 39 balls and Bess Heath hit the first six of the game down the ground, but she tried to replicate that on the legside boundary and was caught in the deep off a Tulloch delivery.

Armitage then fell as she was caught on the ramp to hand Tulloch a second in the over. Tyson bowled Mia Rogers as the Hawks continued to check Durham’s progress and the visitors were set 179 to win the game.

However, Durham made the breakthrough as Villiers claimed the scalp of Adams who was caught by a backpedalling Armitage on the legside.

Durham struck again as Katherine Fraser removed McCaughan who was caught in the covers.

Naomi Dattani looked to add some impetus into the visitors’ chase by smashing back-to-back deliveries to the boundary. However, Levick got Sweet LBW to make the chase even more challenging for the Hawks.

Hampshire’s hopes of victory faded as Dattani miscued a Sophia Turner delivery to backward point. Heather Graham then struck for the first time in a Durham shirt as she bowled Nancy Harman.

Abi Norgrove then holed out to long-off, handing Levick a second of the day. While Graham got her second, with Amanda-Jade Wellington caught in the deep.

Durham then sealed the victory, with Villiers picking up a wicket in the final over.