Tom Kohler-Cadmore’s unbeaten 85 underpinned a brilliant Yorkshire batting performance before they survived a scare to win a Vitality Blast run-fest against Durham at Emirates Riverside.
Opener Kohler-Cadmore smashed five sixes, all clearing either long-off or long-on, as the Vikings amassed a daunting 198-3, also including a blistering 36 not out off 15 balls from Will Fraine.
Kohler-Cadmore’s highest score of the summer in all formats came off only 57 balls and was supplemented by scores in the twenties for Adam Lyth, Joe Root and Harry Brook.
But, in reply, Durham threatened the Vikings’ pursuit of a second win in five North Group games, reaching 77-0 in the eighth over.
Thankfully, impressive spinners Josh Poysden (3-32 from four overs) and Root (2-29 from four) shared five wickets to drag things back and leave Durham 152-6 in the 17th.
They were later bowled out for 169, with new captain David Willey claiming three late wickets to seal a 29-run victory with five balls remaining.
The third-placed Vikings now have six points at the halfway stage in the group and are two points behind joint leaders Nottinghamshire and Lancashire in the pursuit of a quarter-final berth.
The top two from each of the three groups qualify automatically, as do the two best third-placed finishers.
Yorkshire, having been invited to bat, quickly imposed themselves on a true pitch.
Their dominance was highlighted by the fact Willey, a notoriously destructive force with the bat, did not make it to the crease.
Brydon Carse, home skipper Nathan Rimmington and spinner Liam Trevaskis all conceded more than 11 runs per over as Yorkshire posted their highest score at this venue in T20 cricket.
Watched by approximately 100 spectators in hospitality boxes, Kohler-Cadmore shared 52 inside seven overs for the second wicket with Root (25) as they advanced the score from 29-1 in the fourth over.
He later added 65 in the last 5.1 overs of the innings with Fraine, significantly boosting the score from 133-3.
Lyth, Root and Brook were all caught in the deep trying to press on, with seamer Paul Coughlin taking two wickets.
Kohler-Cadmore launched all of his sixes down the ground, with cars parked beyond the boundary at the Finchale End of the ground in particular peril.
Fraine continued his impressive start to this competition as a finisher, hitting two fours and three sixes in his 15-ball burst.
Unfortunately, the runs continued to flow as Durham flew out of the blocks in reply, reaching 60-0 after six powerplay overs.
Led by opener Graham Clark, who reached a 26-ball fifty and later 68 off 39, they got themselves ahead of the Duckworth Lewis Stern requirement as rain started to fall.
Clark pulled Matthew Fisher for one particularly big six before Root’s off-spin broke through when Alex Lees found Fraine at deep backward square-leg in the eighth over, leaving the hosts at 77-1.
Fraine was again the catcher, diving forwards at short third-man, in the next over when Ben Raine fell to Poysden (85-2).
Root then had Clark stumped in the 12th over as Durham fell to 102-3.
Mat Pillans had David Bedingham caught at deep square-leg by Fisher in the 14th – 125-4 – as Yorkshire began to reassert their authority.
That theory was strengthened in the next over when Poysden had Farhaan Behardien caught at cover by Willey, leaving Durham 133-5 from 15, needing 66 more.
Poysden’s third wicket came as Carse was caught by Root running in from long-off in the 17th over, leaving the hosts at 152-6.
Willey trapped Scott Steel and Trevaskis lbw with successive balls in the 18th before Fisher bowled Coughlin in the 19th – 166-9.
Willey (3-26 from 3.1 overs) then wrapped up the win on his debut as full-time captain, getting Rimmington caught at short third-man with the first ball of the final over.
