MATCH REPORT: Lancashire Women complete the double over The Blaze
A half century by Emma Lamb and List A best bowling by Grace Potts helped Lancashire Women complete a Metro Bank One-Day Cup double over leaders The Blaze at Emirates Old Trafford.
Potts’ four for 37 led an excellent bowling effort by the Lancashire attack on a slow wicket that restricted the visitors to a below-par 222 all out from 48.2 overs with half centuries by England wicketkeeper Amy Jones and Ella Claridge.
Lamb, the leading run scorer in the competition, boosted her chances of gaining international selection with an excellent 74 in front of the watching England Head Coach Charlotte Edwards but three wickets by The Blaze skipper Kirstie Gordon threatened to swing the game the way of the visitors with Lancashire 155 for six after 32 overs.
It took a vital partnership of 71 runs in 15.2 overs between captain Ellie Threlkeld and England all-rounder Kate Cross for the seventh wicket to take Lancashire to a four-wicket victory with 16 balls to spare.
The result means Lancashire are third in the table, two points behind new leaders Hampshire and one point behind The Blaze.
Lancashire openers Lamb and Eve Jones came into this match averaging 105 for the first wicket in the competition this season and the pair progressed confidently to post their fifty from just 47 balls after taking advantage of some wayward early bowling by The Blaze.
Both played some eye-catching drives and pulls with Lamb dancing down the wicket to drive Gordon for six, so it was something of a surprise when Jones tamely drove a return catch to The Blaze skipper for 33 to end the opening stand at 88 in the 15th over.
Sarah Glenn trapped Katie Mack for a duck in the following over and Gordon, playing her first match of the campaign after returning from injury, dragged her side back into the game with two further wickets, Seren Smale stumped for six and Fi Morris caught at mid-off for 3 to peg Lancashire back to 111-4 midway through the 21st over.
An unperturbed Lamb, who had reached her fifty off 55 balls, reined in her attacking instincts as Lancashire attempted to consolidate but The Blaze continued to squeeze with Ailsa Lister falling to an excellent diving catch at deep midwicket by Kathryn Bryce off Josie Groves for 15.
The key of Lamb followed when she nicked behind down the leg side off Kathryn Bryce at the end of the 32nd over to offer The Blaze increasing hope with six wickets down and 67 runs still required.
But some good steady batting by Threlkeld (35 not out) and Cross (38 not out) chipped away at the remaining runs, the pair posting their 50 stand off 73 balls, before Cross sealed victory with the winning runs in the 48th over.
Early pressure applied by Cross and Mahika Gaur after Lancashire had won the toss brought reward with the wicket of Tammy Beaumont for 11 well caught at mid-on by Fi Morris off Cross.
Kathryn Bryce upped the tempo hitting 4 fours, but that good intent also proved to be her downfall when she drove Sophie Morris to Cross at mid-on for 22 and the left arm spinner was celebrating a double success four deliveries later when Sarah Bryce edged behind down the leg side for two.
A crucial double-strike by Potts increased the pressure with Georgia Elwiss playing on for 19 and Georgie Boyce clipping to Fi Morris at midwicket for four with The Blaze struggling at 97 for five in the 23rd over.
Jones found excellent support from Claridge as the pair rebuilt the innings with a 44-run partnership in ten overs, Jones pulling Gaur for six to reach her half century from 74 balls but caught at fine leg for 52 three balls later when repeating the shot.
Glenn sliced Lamb to Gaur at backward point for 12 and Potts, having limped off earlier with a knee problem, returned to trap Gordon lbw for a duck.
Groves and Claridge then added a useful 32 runs for the ninth wicket with Claridge progressing to a gritty half century from 68 balls with some nice footwork before she was the last wicket to fall in the 49th over after making 63 of the visitor’s 222 all out
Lancashire travel to Edgbaston to face Warwickshire on Wednesday.
“I’m enjoying my batting and also enjoying my bowling as well, it's good to be doing that this year." said Emma Lamb.
“I'm just buzzing on the win to be honest, buzzing to contribute and happy that Ellie and Crossy finished it off today.
“There's always like little things I'm trying to work on (with my batting), you are never happy as a batter or as a cricketer, you're always trying to get better.
“It's been nice to bat with Eve Jones up front and have a bit of stability and have that left hand-right hand combination, so that's definitely helped me", she added.
“I think we're just very clear on what we want to do and it's clicked in the last six games. I can't ask for more.
“It’s nice to see a whole team contribution, like Pottsy got four wickets today and bowled very nicely.
“So did Crossy and she batted well at the end, got a partnership with Ellie and under a lot of pressure to do it as well, so it was brilliant from those two.
“I think we're off to a good start and we’ve just got to finish the next two weeks off, hopefully we’ll finish on a high."
Lamb refused to be drawn on any England ambitions saying:
“England is not something I really focus on.
"I just want to win (games) for Lancs and contribute to the team and I just like winning.
"I can control what I do on the pitch and if that happens, it happens. If it doesn't, that's fine.”
Photos: George Franks