MATCH REPORT: Three wickets for Anderson but Lancs lose by 24 runs to Northants
James Anderson took three wickets but Northamptonshire Steelbacks unbeaten start to the Vitality Blast continued as the North Group leaders made if five wins from five games with a 25-run victory at Emirates Old Trafford.
A second consecutive Blast defeat leaves Lancashire with three wins from five games ahead of next Friday’s trip to New Road to play Worcestershire Rapids.
After the Steelbacks had posted 180-6 with Anderson taking 3-31, a career-best 4-19 by George Scrimshaw led the Northamptonshire bowling effort that restricted the Lightning to 156-9.
The hosts innings started with Luke Wells hitting 11 in the first over from David Willey but he then skied a catch off Ben Sanderson to Matt Breetzke at gully at the start of the second. Keaton Jennings, the leading run scorer in the Vitality Blast, swiftly followed when glancing his second delivery into the hands of wicketkeeper Lewis McManus off the first ball of the third over.
Matty Hurst struck two sixes in the fourth over off Sanderson while Liam Livingstone twice pulled Willey into the seats behind midwicket in the fifth but Hurst then perished for 17, hitting out at Luke Procter’s first delivery but well caught off a high top-edge by a diving Scrimshaw at long stop.
When Livingstone swept Australian leg spinner Lloyd Pope into the hands of Ricardo Vasconcelos at deep midwicket for 18 midway through the seventh over, Lancashire were suddenly in trouble on 55-4.
Michael Jones drove consecutive Saif Zaib deliveries for four before being badly missed by Breetzke at long off who also dropped Turner on 7 at deep midwicket in the ninth over.
Turner hit Pope for four and six but edged behind for 23 reverse sweeping at the leg spinner in an explosive 11th over while Chris Green drove Willey for six and four in the 13th over but next skied a catch off Scrimshaw for 15 to leave Lancashire 105-6 and still needing 76 off 41 balls.
That proved to be too big a task despite the efforts of Jones (32) and Jack Blatherwick (17) over the closing overs as Scrimshaw cleaned up the lower order.
Northamptonshire made rapid early progress after winning the toss by hitting 57 runs during the powerplay but losing two wickets to the wily Anderson.
Vasconcelos and Breetzke took 17 runs off the second over with 17 more coming off the fourth with Vasconcelos hitting consecutive sixes off Tom Aspinwall.
But Anderson struck with two slow off cutters that induced false shots from Breetzke, well caught by a diving Green for 9, and Vasconcelos also caught at mid-on by Turner for 32 off 15 balls.
Justin Broad nicked a wild swing at Blatherwick to Hurst for 13 to dent the Steelbacks progress on 69-3 in the eighth over but Willey and Ravi Bopara steadily rebuilt with 60-run partnership off 43 balls, Bopara launching Anderson for six but out next ball for 28 after slicing to Blatherwick at deep cover.
Willey skied a catch off Livingstone to Jennings for 37 five balls later with Northamptonshire 131-5 in the 16th over but some good late hitting by McManus (28 off 16 balls including two sixes) helped the Steelbacks take 51 runs from the final five overs and their challenging total of 180-6 proved to be more than enough.
“I think you're always confident you can chase whatever's set,” said Keaton Jennings.
“I did feel like it (the Northamptonshire total) was slightly over par.
“I felt like we were sort of slightly short with the ball. We just didn't quite execute as well as we could normally do.
“We have played some outstanding cricket in the last four games,” he added. “Today we just weren't quite there but you're going to get ups and downs in this format.
“Having said that, you do strive to try and win every game. No loss, regardless of how the stats read, you take easily.”
“We just didn't quite play our smartest cricket today.”
“Obviously, you don't want to lose games of cricket at home. You want to try and win those. I feel like today is slightly different.
“We just haven't quite executed. But I think the other four games have been good games of cricket. We've played well. (in them).”
Jennings was full of praise for efforts of James Anderson following his return to T20 cricket after an 11-year absence.
“(What he’s doing), he's ridiculous.
“He's bowling three overs in the power play, and that kind of goes against the grain. Most guys have a maximum of two generally.
“You don't want somebody to line you up. He's reading batters.
“He's somehow moved with the times of T20 cricket without playing a game. I suppose that shows the level of care he's taken in his own cricket, in his own preparation.
“Going nice and quick, controlling areas, watching batters, following them, going wider when it's needed.
“The clarity of thought, when he does sort of mis-execute, hasn't – unsurprisingly – rattled him. He's straight back to what he needs to execute in the next ball.
“You have a guy like that in and around your dressing room and it's pretty silly not to pick his brain and pick his wealth of expertise.
“As captain you fight yourself a little bit. But also, I think you've got to watch the sort of flow of the game.
“And if he looks hard to hit, you keep him on. Jimmy's executed brilliantly well. Hopefully it long continues.”
Ken Grime
Photos: Luke Adams & Dan Adams