Hasan Mahmud returned career-best innings and match figures on his Kent debut to inspire his side to a 140-run victory over Lancashire inside three days at Blackpool.

Classy centuries from both Meg Austin and Katie George led Warwickshire to a 20-run victory over struggling champions Lancashire and a third straight success in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup.

Lancashire’s Grace Potts took a career-best five for 20, only for Australian all-rounder Charli Knott to deliver the match-winning performance as The Blaze moved to the top of the Vitality Blast Women’s points table with a 15-run victory as Thunder were dismissed for 120 at Trent Bridge.

Every professional cricketer, male or female, will go through it. Some find it easier than others. Kyle Hogg’s journey has taken him from the cricket field, to concert venues, to the building site and back to cricket again. Preparing properly for transition from playing to what’s next is, says Hogg, vital to a happy and contented life.

The touring life of a cricketer. It’s what the young lads and girls - even men and women still - up and down the land dream of. Melbourne to Mumbai, we would all love to travel the world playing the game we love.

Kyle Hogg has urged cricketers young and even old to relish the battle and keep plugging away - even if things are not going your way.

Kent remain firmly in the Rothesay County Championship promotion race after they beat Lancashire by seven wickets at Canterbury on Thursday.

Retiring duo Kate Cross and Fi Morris shared five wickets as Lancashire bowled Yorkshire out for 210 and won by seven wickets in today’s season-ending Metro Bank One-Day Cup clash at Headingley.

The story of Brian Lara’s remarkable ascent to global stardom is coming to cinemas in the North West next week, both at Sale and Stockport.

Northamptonshire’s cricketers completed a quite outstanding all-round display 35 minutes after lunch when they defeated Lancashire by 316 runs in the Rothesay County Championship match at Emirates Old Trafford.

“Big man back to Lancashire. Looking forward to seeing you again.” That was the text Simon Booth sent to Noman Ali a couple of Thursdays ago, just after his signing had been announced by Lancashire.

Durham comfortably defeated Lancashire by 162 runs in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup eliminator at Emirates Old Trafford and will now travel south to play Middlesex in Sunday’s semi-final at Radlett.