Lancashire Lightning v Nottinghamshire Outlaws, Vitality Blast

Lancashire 4 points, Nottinghamshire 0 points

By Graham Hardcastle, ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay

A powerful batting display led by half-centuries for Ben McDermott, Matty Hurst and Keaton Jennings was supplemented by a polished bowling display as Lancashire claimed their first Vitality Blast win of the season at the second attempt at Nottinghamshire’s expense at Emirates Old Trafford.

Lancashire’s 208 for four saw Australian overseas McDermott top-score with 63 not out off 27 balls, Hurst add 57 off 40 and captain Jennings 51 off 31. McDermott and Hurst hit four sixes apiece, while Jennings became the fourth batter to total 2,000 T20 runs for his county and the fastest to that mark in terms of number of innings.

Dillon Pennington’s nought for 61 from three overs represented Nottinghamshire’s second most expensive T20 spell ever before the visitors were unable to build on a bright start with the bat and slipped to finish on 169 for nine, losing by 39 runs.

England fringe left-arm spinner Tom Hartley starred with four for 20 from 3.5 overs as Nottinghamshire lost their second successive North Group fixture.

Lancashire’s spinner Tom Hartley said

“The way we started with the bat, we set the tone. Then to pull it back with the ball there and finish really convincingly, it was a great win for us.

“It was a tough game down at Surrey, and they’re a strong opposition. But we didn’t feel we were too far off. We’ve righted our wrongs there, and it was fantastic to do it at home.

“The pitch looked like it was starting to spin a bit, and I thought I’d be able to bowl into the wicket with a slightly bigger boundary to one side. I know they got off to a good start, but we always knew during the middle overs that myself, Chris Green and Harry Singh could pull it back.

“The average scores here are in the 180s, so we knew it would be a challenge to defend that total. I thought it was about par. But, with the weather and heat, it just started to spin a bit.

“When they got off to that flyer, I thought it might be a tough evening with all their left-handers, but to bounce back and finish off Jack Blatherwick’s over gave me a lot of confidence. I think that showed at the end there.”