Stanley McAlindon posted career best figures with bat and ball in Durham’s Royal London Cup defeat by Leicestershire yesterday.
The 18-year-old former Carlisle player scored his maiden half century before taking four wickets in a desperately close finish.
Durham had been reduced to 54-7 after being put into bat but brave and intelligent batting from a young lower order saw them reach 197.
McAlindon took 4-29 from his 10 overs and veteran Chris Rushworth had 3-38 before Leicestershire scrambled home in the 47th over.
They had been reduced to 158-8 and it needed an unbeaten ninth wicket partnership of 30 between bowlers Beuran Hendricks and Eddie Barnes to see Leicestershire home and leave Durham bottom of the group.
Earlier Durham struggled on a hybrid pitch being used for the second time in four days and only some intelligent batting from an inexperienced tail had got them to a competitive score.
Top score came from McAlindon with a maiden 50 the highlight being consecutive sixes off Scott Steel, before being caught and bowled in the final over of the innings. The final three wickets of the innings realised 143 runs.
It’s been a debut season to remember for McAlindon who played his first Cointy Championship game in July against Derbyshire taking the last two wickets to end the innings..
He produced a superb delivery off the final ball of his 13th over which cut back and without playing a shot Sam Conners was clean bowled.
Then off the first delivery of his 14th over he had Toby Pettman caught low down at first slip.
If he had taken a wicket with his first ball of Derbyshire’s second innings he could have got into the record books as taking a hat-trick from the longest-spaced deliveries.
McAlindon is a former pupil of Trinity School in Carlisle and played his first cricket with the now defunct Great Corby club as a five-year-old.
He joined Carlisle where his talents were quickly recognised and he played for the first team in the Cumbria League Premier Division when he was only 15 years of age.
A talented all-round sportsman, who played in the age groups at Carlisle United, McAlindon prioritised his cricket and he was signed up for the Durham Academy four years ago.
