Following an unbeaten run to the final, Mashonaland Eagles were swatted aside by 213 runs in Harare to sign off a successful pre-season trip which the club hopes will have a positive effect on their Blast performances
Durham have begun preparations for the new county season by winning the Zimbabwe Domestic T20 competition after a record-breaking victory over Mashonaland Eagles in Harare.
As part of a trip also containing red-ball matches and warm weather training ahead of the 2024 campaign getting underway in April, the Chester-le-Street club were entered into the competition which ran between March 3-9.
After topping the six-team group phase with five successive wins, they faced Eagles in the final on Saturday (March 9).
Netherlands international Bas de Leede top scored with 58 as Durham made 229 for 6 batting first. Ollie Robinson hit 49 and Haydon Mustard struck a 22-ball 46 not out.
In reply, Eagles - defending champions having won the 2021/22 and 2022/23 editions - were overwhelmed.
Callum Parkinson, Paul Coughlin and Luke Robinson each claimed two wickets as Eagles were dismissed in 8.1 overs for just 16 - the third-lowest total in men's T20s.
Paul Coughlin was among the wickets with 2 for 4 (Ashley Allen/Getty Images)
Only when Isle of Man were all out for 10 against Spain and Sydney Thunder made just 15 against Adelaide Strikers has a side been dismissed for a lower total.
Additionally, the 213-run margin of victory is the biggest in a non-international men's T20 - thus becoming Durham's largest victory in the format.
It surpasses the 97-run success they achieved over Northamptonshire in July 2011.
Nepal's 273-run win over Mongolia, landed in September 2023 in Hangzhou, remains the watermark in men's T20 cricket.
Durham will hope the success can be a springboard towards improved results in the Blast, which they have yet to win in 21 attempts.
Durham head coach Ryan Campbell (Stu Forster/Getty Images)
One of five counties - Derbyshire, Glamorgan, Gloucestershire and Yorkshire are the others - who remain empty-handed, they have only once reached the final, twice graced Finals Day and six times qualified for the quarter-finals.
Last season saw them finish seventh in the North Group with four wins, seven defeats and two ties against Derbyshire and Worcestershire.
Speaking ahead of the 2023 season, head coach Ryan Campbell bemoaned "bad habits" which had led to "horrible" form in white-ball cricket - though they had reached the One-Day Cup final the previous summer.
It will be hoped that the return of David Bedingham, addition of Australia seamer Scott Boland and signings of Colin Ackermann and Parkinson from Leicestershire can also have a positive effect on a squad which will be playing Division One cricket this season following promotion.
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