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.

Ben Walkden is proof that the dream is always alive even if the path isn’t always straightforwards, the all-rounder from Newton-le-Willows making his Lancashire debut against Northamptonshire this weekend. 

“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.

Lancashire’s D40 Quest Disability side are one step away from becoming back-to-back national champions, having won four successive games to take an unassailable lead at the top of the North Group.

Surrey got their Metro Bank One-Day Cup campaign off to a magnificent start when they beat a relatively experienced Lancashire side by seven wickets in the incomparable, fell-ringed surroundings of Sedbergh School.

Every sporting event disrupts the town or city in which it is held. For the most part, the moderate chaos is accepted and taken in good part. People living in the streets around Manchester United’s ground know that 75,000 spectators will be in the vicinity on perhaps 25 or 30 days per year. At other times, the place is merely a tourist attraction.