DURHAM'S annual attempt to address their Twenty20 shortcomings showed little sign of bearing fruit in last night's opening NatWest T20 Blast match at Worcester.

They were on the receiving end of an astonishing onslaught from 21-year-old Malvern College product Tom Kohler-Cadmore.

In becoming the third batsman to make a T20 century against Durham he scorched past the previous highest of 102 not out by Jonny Bairstow, reaching 127 out of a total of 225 for six.

That was 12 more than the record T20 total against Durham, set by Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge in 2011, and the visitors' spirited response fell 38 short on 187 for eight.

With Phil Mustard still there on his way to 64, Durham had an outside chance at 142 for four after 14 overs. But then Ryan Pringle holed out at long-on off Joe Leach and Calum MacLeod chased a wide one to be caught behind. Leach took two more wickets in the 17th over to finish with five.

So clean was the striking of the 6ft 2in Kohler-Cadmore that two of his eight sixes, all driven, flew out of the ground.

His 43-ball century was the sixth fastest in the English T20 and he still had power to add when he holed out on the mid-wicket boundary in the 15th over.

The cathedral calm of this most traditional of county grounds was shattered by the general hubbub accompanying the run-fest after Durham chose to field first.

That meant they had to bat in fading light under increasing cloud and after 29 came off the first three overs skipper Mark Stoneman was yorked by Leach's first ball for 25.

Graham Clark, batting at three, threatened to mount a challenge with 32 off 19 balls, but when he drove left-arm spinner Mitch Santner to long-off there was too much left to do.

While most other counties have two overseas men for this competition, Durham have none and in opting for a young, athletic side they left themselves very short of experience.

They persuaded Paul Collingwood to stand down because of his sore toe and also preferred Michael Richardson to Gordon Muchall, who was ever-present last season and topped the batting averages.

With Graham Onions rested, they handed a T20 debut to Barry McCarthy in preference to James Weighell.

It proved a baptism from hell for the Irishman, who conceded 28 off the game's fifth over. He wasn't helped by the first ball being cut for four courtesy of a misfield and there was also an inside edge.

But the two driven sixes which followed took Kohler-Cadmore to 50 off 21 balls, having already cleared the rope twice in spoiling Paul Coughlin's excellent start.

McCarthy was brought back for two more overs at the end of the innings and by conceding 19 in the 19th he was left with the most expensive T20 analysis for Durham. Nicky Phillips and Usman Arshad shared the record on 51 conceded from four overs, but McCarthy had one for 63. To cap his miserable night he was out first ball.

Coughlin conceded only one run off the first five balls and had Daryl Mitchell lbw in the third over, but the only respite in the downhill spiral came when Scott Borthwick took two wickets in his first over.

He had Joe Clarke caught at long-off and Santner at long-on in taking two for 24 in three overs.

No-one came close to matching Kohler-Cadmore's striking until Brett D'Oliveira and Leach ended a relative lull after the top scorer's exit by taking 37 off the last two overs, spoiling a good effort by Usman Arshad.

Durham managed only two sixes, by Clark and Pringle, and while Mustard did a good job of anchoring the innings he was never able to dominate and holed out at deep mid-wicket in the 17th over.