Roses double header Vitality Blast

Lancashire 4 points, Yorkshire 0 points

By Graham Hardcastle, ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay

Sir James Anderson removed former England team-mate Joe Root for four as Lancashire kept their hopes of Vitality Blast quarter-final qualification alive with a convincing 22-run Roses win over Yorkshire at Emirates Old Trafford.

Lancashire’s fifth win in 11 games - this defending a 217-target - takes the race down to Sunday’s final day, with second-placed Yorkshire made to wait to seal their progression as they could only post 194 for eight.

England Lions quick Mitch Stanley impressed with a career best four for 30.Liam Livingstone crashed 60 off 39 balls in Lightning’s 216 for six before Root top-edged a pull at Anderson to short fine-leg as Yorkshire slipped to 43 for three in the fifth over of their chase and failed to recover.

Yorkshire could qualify even with a defeat against North Group winners Nottinghamshire at Headingley on Sunday, whereas Lancashire must beat Durham here and hope.

Lancashire fast bowler Mitch Stanley said 

“What an event. First Roses game for me to play in, so unbelievable atmosphere, unbelievable occasion. At Worcester, I had Bears and Pears, but that was different level. 

“We felt like it was a really good surface and with a short side. But we felt like if we bowled well, it was defendable. If we didn’t, there was still a chance for them.

“It was some of my best stuff, so I'm over the moon with it, especially after last game and getting targeted in my second over.“It was all or nothing, so everyone just put everything on the line and, yeah, we were on the right side of it.

“I try not to look too far ahead and focus on winning the game (Durham, Sunday).“If it falls, it falls.”

ECB Reporters Network: Lancashire Thunder 133-8 v Yorkshire 162-6, Vitality Blast. Yorkshire won by 29 runs. 

Lancashire 0 points, Yorkshire 4 points

By Graham Hardcastle, ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay

Ami Campbell’s excellent 64 off 42 balls and a career best three wickets for teenaged leg-spinner Holly Garton ensured Yorkshire beat Lancashire Thunder by 29 runs at Emirates Old Trafford this afternoon to even the Vitality Blast Roses ledger.

Thunder beat Yorkshire at York last week but failed to chase a 163-target here and lost for the ninth time in 11 matches.  

Opener Campbell underpinned Yorkshire’s 162 for six, including Darcey Carter’s three for 22 from four overs of off-spin. But Yorkshire’s 17-year-old Garton took the headlines by removing Australian great Meg Lanning with her first ball en-route to three for 23.

Bottom side Lancashire slipped to 14 for two and couldn’t recover. They were limited to 133 for eight as Yorkshire won their third successive Blast match. Both sides were already out of Finals Day contention. 

Lancashire stand-in captain Eve Jones said

“I think if we'd have batted first, we always look for that 160 and anything above is a bonus. We were quite happy at the halfway point.

“They obviously got off to a flyer again. It felt very similar to the game at York last week. We managed to peg them back to 160, which we thought was a chaseable total.

“The spinners did a great job. Obviously, I had the option of four different spinners, so we were able to rotate them throughout the innings.

“We speak about the brand of cricket we want to play, and we knew we had to take on the powerplay. Unfortunately, we lost two wickets quite early, so it was always going to be difficult then to try and claw that back.”