Lancashire VS. Leicestershire T20 Report

Lancashire Do T20 Double Over Champions Leicestershire.

Lancashire have recorded consecutive wins against over the current Twenty20 champions the Leicestershire Foxes. After the Foxes were beaten last week at home to the Lightning by 11 runs, this defeat means they have lost the first four games of their title defence. It has always been difficult for teams to qualify for the quarter final stages of this competition and Leicestershire will have to aim for an unbeaten run until the end of the group stages if they hope to do so. Lancashire have, by record, the best T20 record and opponents Leicestershire have the 2nd best, winning this competition the most out of any county (2).

Leicestershire won the toss and decided to bat first and based on the batting power they had on offer this was understandable. The decision to open not only with Josh Cobb but also Abdul Razzaq, would provide Lancashire with a comprehensive task. Initially though Leicestershire started very slowly with Tom Smith and captain Glen Chapple bowling a tight line. But it would be Yasir Arafat who took the first wicket of Cobb who was caught by Smith for 6. Greg Smith joined Razzaq but was unlucky to get a thick edge to Keedy at third-man off Chapple's bowling and only score 2. Leicestershire's problems continued when Sarwan was trapped LBW to Chapple for 7, leaving the Foxes on 29-3.

Razzaq was finally joined by a stable batting partner and with Matthew Boyce Leicestershire's innings was able to develop dangerously. Despite Stephen Parry only going for 6.50 an over (0-26) his spin partner and veteran Gary Keedy was very expensive at 13.25 an over (0-53). Razzaq lead this surge during the middle overs bring up his 50 and the foxes scored 51 runs in 6 overs without loosing a wicket.In the 17th over he continued to score boundaries but was, to the relief of the Lightning, caught by Stephen Moore in doing so off the bowling of Arafat for a well made 61. A partnership of 92 runs from just 68 balls had put the game back in the balance.

But Leicestershire were far from finished in hitting boundaries. Boyce and Wayne White proved how good they are in this format of cricket and both batsmen continued to hurt Lancashire. The foxes scored 55 runs from the last 3 overs as Boyce finished with an impressive 63 from 38 and White 19 from 9. As Leicestershire had effectively scored 81 runs from 5 overs, Lancashire were aware that the game was slipping away and that a record chase at Old Trafford was necessary for victory.

As always Stephen Moore and Tom Smith started positively for Lancashire as captain Matthew Hoggard and Razzaq found it hard to restrict the openers. At the end of the power play at 6 overs Lancashire were on 60-0 and were poised nicely to pursue the target of 180. Moore soon brought up his 51 from 29 balls and a relatively hard chase was being made to look simplistic. But after this fantastic start Moore was shortly out for 54 from 32 when he was bowled by spinner Claude Henderson.

A first-wicket stand of 75 had given Lancashire the best possible chance of victory and when Steven Croft joined Smith, the innings continued to flourish. Smith had settled for a passive role at the crease with Moore but with Croft he came put of his shell as he hit 3 sixes. Croft contributed well, rotating the strike with Smith but also adding some boundaries of his own. But in an attempt to hit mor sixes, Smith was caught by Mommsen off Taylor for 42 from 31 leaving Lancashire 113-2. Lancashire were looking comfortable but the late surge of runs from Leicestershire were always a factor to consider. Croft and Karl Brown were still required to score 65 runs which would be by no means easy.

Croft pushed for singles and twos in combination with Brown who quite simply played beautiful cricket shots. Brown hit 4 boundaries and Croft smashed 2 sixes to comfortably guide Lancashire home. Croft finished on 41 from 29 and Brown 39 from 23 as Lancashire chased the highest target at Old Trafford in T20 history with a whole over to spare.

Leicestershire have now lost the first four consecutive games and their title defence appears to be all but over barring a miracle run of form. Lancashire however continue to play good cricket and in this game exemplified how strong they are particularly as a batting unit. A man of the match was hard to pick as any one of Lancashire's four batsmen were eligible, but it was the captain Chapple who led by example with astounding figures of 2-10 from 4 overs. His economical bowling and ability to take wickets was crucial in a game where scoring runs was obviously easy. This win puts Lancashire into third place on run rate behind rivals Yorkshire who they face next Friday at Headingley.