Lancashire Women v Durham, Metro Bank One-Day Cup

ECB Reporters Network, supported by Rothesay. 

Lancashire 4 points, Durham 0 points

By Graham Hardcastle 

Champions Lancashire maintained their Metro Bank One-Day Cup title hopes with a come-from-behind three-run victory at AO Farington, successfully defending a 38-over 170-target.

Durham were on course thanks to fourth-wicket pair Hollie Armitage, who made 55, and Bess Heath sharing 71 to take the score to 140 for three in the 32nd over.

But retiring ex-England seamer Kate Cross superbly returned three for 24 on a slow pitch, including getting Heath and Armitage, to give Lancashire a fifth straight win and a sixth in 14 in all. They are now on the coat-tails of third-placed Warwickshire with two games to play.

Cross defended nine runs off the last over, striking once in it as Durham finished on 166 for nine. Earlier, Lancashire’s 169 for eight saw opener Darcey Carter top-score with a patient 45, while new-ball seamer Trudy Johnson finished with three wickets.

Lancashire seamer Kate Cross said

“That was a great game of cricket, and I’m really pleased for the girls. “Obviously, we've got a couple of must-win games coming up. 

“It was a bit touch and go there, but I thought how we held our nerve and fought right until the end was a testament to the group and how much everyone wants to get to a position where hopefully we can defend our trophy.

“It certainly felt like the pitch got a lot better. I think we got the hardest conditions, earlier, with the bat.

“I think we probably knew we were maybe a little bit under par, but with the way the conditions were, I thought we'd done well to get to that target at half-time. 

“It was just a case of holding our nerve with the ball, which I thought we did. Sophie Morris was absolutely exceptional today to pick up four wickets. She gave us the opportunity to try and go through them and obviously win the game in the end.”