Samit Patel inspired Notts Outlaws to their third win in as many games in the Vitality Blast with victory over Durham at Trent Bridge. 

The spinner recorded figures of 3-30, including crucial middle order scalps, as the visitors stumbled in their attempt to chase 187, after offering a measured 28 with bat. 

The target could have been larger but for Durham pegging back the Outlaws’ bright start, with Alex Hales and Colin Munro sharing a partnership worth 83 from 43 deliveries. 

Only Bas de Leede and Ollie Robinson managed meaningful scores in reply, with the North East outfit ultimately falling 26 runs short. 

The first over set the precedent for an eventful evening, Munro twice finding the boundary after Joe Clarke was bowled by Liam Trevaskis’ second delivery.

Hales then showed his timeless pedigree by crunching Brandon Glover for a towering straight six, before guiding de Leede past a stood-up Robinson and lofting Ben Raine over cover. 

He and Munro had already reached their 50 partnership midway through the sixth over before the latter hit Parnell’s second over - which went for 16 - for a straight maximum and guided to the third man rope. 

16 followed from the seventh to see Notts shift from 34-1 to 81-1 in the space of three overs, but Durham were offered respite when Hales hauled Nathan Sowter out to Ashton for a 22-ball 39 and Matthew Montgomery was trapped lbw reverse sweeping for 12.  

Munro departed for 49, Sowter and Turner combining again, and the visitors turned the screw with Tom Moores and Patel managing three boundaries in 25 deliveries. 

Both fell within four balls as the climax neared, with enough time for Steven Mullaney to offer a useful 23-ball cameo worth 21. 

Durham’s reply began positively as Alex Lees drove and picked off his legs, but took one risk too many in reversing Samit Patel with Jake Ball leaping like a salmon to catch the Yorkshireman. 

Graham Clark then lofted Matt Carter to Calvin Harrison at deep mid wicket and Micheal Jones miscued Jake Ball to Montgomery, with a two over spell worth 26 sandwiched between. 

From 52/3 at the powerplay, Durham had a platform, and milked a boundary off each of the following three overs to keep the rate below 10 before a flurry of wickets fell.

Patel had the in-form Robinson bowled for 27 attempting to pull, before Ashton Turner returned to the dugout without scoring, slogging to Ball at long on. 

Carter then tempted Parnell to chip tamely to cover as Durham slumped to 91/6 after 11 overs. 

de Leede kept Durham in the hunt despite an increasing required rate, reaching his half-century from 36 deliveries with five fours and one six, but he became Afridi’s first victim, splicing to cover, after Trevaski mistimed his scoop to Patel at short fine. 

Ben Raine then holed out to Alex Hales to give Ball his third as Durham hopes diminished and momentum dwindled, the visitors leapfrogged in the North Group table by their hosts after Afridi closed out the final over.