MATCH REPORT: Lancashire lose out to Northants despite Moores career-best
Steelbacks all-rounder Gus Miller struck a superb 115, his maiden first-team century, to set up a 67-run victory over Lancashire in the Metro Bank One Day Cup at Northampton.
Miller shared a 153-run partnership in 25 overs with Aadi Sharma (61), while skipper Nathan McSweeney hit 78, his fourth half-century of the competition as the hosts posted 347 for six.
In the chase, Marcus Harris made 57 and was joined by Rocky Flintoff (34) in a stand worth 85, but it was the in-form 17-year-old Joe Moores who threatened to win the game almost single-handedly, despite the mounting run rate. He made a magnificent 85 off just 59 balls before he was run out in a mix-up.
Northamptonshire’s Indian international leg-spinner Yuzi Chahal was the pick of the bowlers with four for 60.
Earlier as a miserly George Balderson built pressure, Ricardo Vasconcelos was comfortably run out when Miller called him for a non-existent run.
Jack Blatherwick’s away movement posed problems for Sharma, but he grew in fluency, driving sweetly through the covers before finally uppercutting Sutton to fine-leg.
After reaching three figures, Miller crashed an enormous blow over deep-midwicket, but eventually lost his leg-stump, attempting to reverse-sweep Shetty.
George Bartlett fell cheaply, but McSweeney picked up the pace, pulling the seamers and crunching Shetty through cover.
Tom Bailey struck Stuart van der Merwe (41*) struck on the helmet but he quickly regained his composure, smashing him over cover for six and dispatching Shetty over deep-midwicket.
McSweeney, meanwhile, continued to attack the seamers until he was caught at long-on off Balderson.
Northamptonshire’s bowlers posed early problems. Matty Hurst chopped on against Liam Guthrie, while Miller jagged one back to trap Bohannon lbw.
Jennings though hit his stride, taking three consecutive boundaries off Guthrie but picked out Bartlett at midwicket who held a good low catch off Rob Keogh.
Harris cut McSweeney for four, but amid some tight bowling, backed up by excellent fielding, Lancashire’s run rate dipped suddenly.
Harris and Rocky Flintoff regained the initiative before Northamptonshire built pressure again, removing Flintoff when he chipped Weatherall straight to cover as the required rate approached nine.
Harris was caught in spectacular fashion off Chahal, Weatherall taking a spectacular boundary catch at long-on, although Moores was dropped next ball at backward-point, playing the switch-hit to Keogh.
Moores continued to play offense. He chanced his arm at times but came down the track to hit Chahal over midwicket and made the most of pace-on by smashing 24 off Miller as momentum swung back Lancashire’s way.
He dispatched Chahal over the West Stand, but the leg-spinner struck twice in two balls, having Shetty caught at long-on and bowling Blatherwick.
Moores still threatened but when he was run out, Chahal and Guthrie mopped up the tail.
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