Lancs secure home tie with emphatic win over Derby.

Prince equalled the club record for the fastest fifty in this format.

Lancashire Lightning have secured a home tie in the quarter finals of the Natwest T20 Blast after achieving a 35-run victory over Derbyshire Falcons in a high-scoring affair at Emirates Old Trafford.

The hosts posted a monolithic total of 225/7 in 20 overs, with Ashwell Prince (56) equalling the club record for the fastest fifty, reaching this milestone in just 22 deliveries as he and Karl Brown (58) added 89 runs for the second-wicket in just under eight overs.

Derbyshire's misery in the field was compounded by Jos Buttler, who added a brisk 39 as well as captain Paul Horton (24*), who struck three sixes in his seven-ball stay at the crease having come in to bat at number nine.

In reply, the Falcons gave it their all, reaching 190/7 as captain Wayne Madsen top-scored with 45 after openers Wes Durston (30) and Marcus North (41) helped the visitors to post a powerplay score of 56/1.

But the run rate continued to climb and their task proved to be too much, particularly with Junaid Khan at the helm. He signed-off in style in his final match for Lancashire this season, claiming 2-30 to finish the campaign with 19 wickets from ten matches.

There were early signs of Lancashire's intent with the bat, Tom Smith three boundaries in his short stay at the crease before Prince took charge and smashed four sixes on his way to a record-equalling fifty.

It was the third time this season where a Lancashire player had scored a 22-ball fifty and was essential in helping the hosts to post a powerplay score of 66/1 despite the early loss of Smith for 13.

Brown showed similar disdain for Derbyshire's bowlers, hitting three sixes in his innings of 58 from 34 balls. Lancashire's quest for an unassailable score saw the hosts lose four wickets for 27 runs, Mark Turner returning figures of 3-51, but a late surge from Horton sunk the fleeting hopes of the Derbyshire squad, who were subjected to a brutal display from a rampant Lancashire outfit.

Derbyshire have won just one match in the campaign so far and would have been forgiven for giving up easily with a target of 226 to win, but the visitors showed a great deal of character to stay in contention for so long.

The visitors also showed early intent thanks to Durston and North, who replicated Lancashire's efforts in taking advantage of the short boundary. The introduction of Khan brought Lancashire a timely breakthrough with the score at 55/1 and as wickets continued to fall, Derbyshire's chances for achieving an unlikely victory were thwarted.

Former Lancashire player, Gareth Cross, showed promise before being run out for 17, but the loss of wickets at regular intervals continued to hurt Derby in their search for runs. Steven Croft afforded just 19 runs in his three-over allocation and picked up the wicket of North to end Derbyshire's greatest cause for victory.

In Andrew Flintoff's absence, Wayne White gave a reassuring display, claiming 2-31 including the wicket of Madsen in the closing stages of Derbyshire's innings.

Needing 46 runs to win, Derbyshire knew that they were facing a formality, but were made to suffer further, as Khan delivered the final over of the match to wrap-up a comfortable victory for Lancashire, their ninth in 13 matches.