Surrey Secure Vitality Blast Finals Spot

Surrey cruised into the Vitality Blast finals after a dominant five-wicket win over Durham at the Kia Oval, powered by a crucial partnership between Dominic Sibley and Sam Curran.

Sibley, a former England opener, smashed 67 off 48 balls, including two sixes and six boundaries. He was well-supported by Curran, who added 52 runs from 34 balls, blasting four sixes as Surrey chased down Durham’s target of 163 with 12 balls remaining.

Durham’s effort to post 162 for 8 was a recovery from a precarious 69 for 6, thanks to Michael Jones' 37, Bas De Leede’s 24 off 15, and Ben Raine’s explosive 23 off 8 deliveries. Surrey’s Dan Worrall (2 for 14) and Reece Topley (2 for 20) caused early damage during the power play, restricting Durham's progress.

Worrall’s early breakthrough came when he dismissed Durham’s top scorer, Graham Clark, and soon after, Topley bowled Ollie Robinson, who struggled with 11 deliveries of misses. Worrall’s yorker then shattered Alex Lees' stumps, and Brydon Carse's short-lived resistance ended when he edged Topley to wicketkeeper Ben Burns.

Durham continued to falter as Colin Ackermann was run out by a stunning direct hit from Sam Curran. Ashton Turner’s counterattack (26 off 21) was cut short by Sibley’s sharp catch, leaving Durham reeling at 69 for 6 in the 13th over.

However, Jones led Durham’s fightback, smashing a six over extra cover off Chris Jordan. He was ably assisted by De Leede, who survived a run-out attempt to forge a 50-run partnership in 30 balls. Curran finally bowled De Leede, but Jones and Raine’s late fireworks helped Durham reach 162, including two sixes by Raine in the final over.

Despite Durham's fightback, Surrey’s chase started well. Carse struck twice in quick succession to remove Will Jacks and Laurie Evans, but Sibley and Rory Burns, both former England openers, steadied the innings. Sibley impressed with four boundaries during the power play, shedding his reputation for slow scoring.

Burns fell after mistiming a shot off Callum Parkinson’s spin, bringing Sam Curran to the crease. Curran’s aggression was unleashed after 30 boundary-less deliveries, smashing Nathan Sowter for a massive six and taking control. De Leede missed a caught-and-bowled opportunity with Curran on 31, allowing Surrey to tighten their grip on the game.

Sibley reached his half-century with a towering six over mid-on, and Curran nearly sent another Sowter delivery out of The Oval. Although both departed before the end, Surrey comfortably crossed the line with 15 runs to spare, booking their place in the Vitality Blast final.