SECOND XI MATCH REPORT: Barnard, Lavelle star as Lancs clinch last over victory against Derbyshire.
Charlie Barnard took three wickets and contributed some vital late runs alongside skipper George Lavelle who made an unbeaten 37 as the pair steered Lancashire to a four wicket victory in the T20 match against Derbyshire at Blackpool.
The low scoring affair reached an exciting climax as Lancashire, chasing a target of 130, needed 20 runs off the last 13 balls when Lavelle and Bernard came together at 110 for six. Both hit a six in the penultimate over from spinner Alex Thomson that went for 16 runs and it was Barnard who hit the winning runs to clinch victory with three balls to spare.
Derbyshire lost three wickets for 37 in the powerplay after opting to bat, Luis Reece caught and bowled by Harry Birkman for two, Harry Came driving Will Williams to Rocky Flintoff at mid-on for 12 and Anju Dal undone by a terrific seaming delivery from George Balderson that he nicked behind to Lavelle for 7.
Left arm spinner Barnard put the visitors in further trouble with a excellent four overs of three for 19 that left Derbyshire 68 for six midway through the 13th over. Matt Lamb edged behind for 6, Thomson-aiming a wild shot over midwicket-was bowled for 5, as was Jack Carney attempting a reverse sweep.
The visitors were indebted to Mitch Wagstaff and Nic Potts who counterattacked effectively in a 48-run partnership for the seventh wicket, left hander Wagstaff hitting a six and four fours before driving Balderson to Harry Singh at extra cover after making a 41-ball 47.
Potts hit two sixes and a four to be unbeaten on 30 off 21 balls when the Derbyshire innings closed on 129 for eight but the Lancashire batters also found run scoring far from easy on a slow track.
Seamer Ben Parker accounted for both Georges Bell (1) and Balderson (23 off 12 balls) before Singh and Lavelle patiently took Lancashire on to 69 for two midway through the 11th over.
Wagstaff then took two wickets in two balls to have Lancashire struggling after Singh was caught at backward square leg for 23 and Flintoff bowled first ball. The leg spinner took two for 14 from four excellent overs to keep the group leaders in with a great chance of a win.
Arav Shetty (12) and Williams (14 off 8) lent support to Lavelle to keep Lancashire in contention and the Red Rose skipper played a vital, measured innings of 37 off 32 balls, that included just two boundaries, to be there at the end.
TEAMS
LANCASHIRE
Harry Singh, George Bell (wkt), George Balderson, George Lavelle (capt), Rocky Flintoff, Arav Shetty, Will Williams, Charlie Barnard, James Dunn, Harry Birkman, Haider Hussain.
DERBYSHIRE
Luis Reece, Harry Came, Mitchell Wagstaff, Anuj Dal (capt), Matt Lamb, Alex Thomson, Jack Carney (wkt), Nicholas Potts, Sam Conners, Ben Parker, Harris Ajaz.