Friends Life T20 QF Preview.

Katich and Ali set for Hampshire return.

Simon Katich has been a vital
player in the campaign thus far.

Kabir Ali batting against
Leicestershire Foxes.

Simon Katich and Kabir Ali will play a decisive role in this evenings quarter-final at the Ageas Bowl, with both players formerly being on the Hampshire roster. 

Lancashire face perhaps the toughest of all quarter-final opponents in the Hampshire Royals, a side who have only lost once in this seasons campaign and they are the reigning champions.

However, the Lightning have a history of performing against Hampshire at this ground, having won twice before in quarter-finals.

Lancashire squad: Glen Chapple (captain), Kabir Ali, Karl Brown, Steven Croft, Gareth Cross (wicketkeeper), Jordan Clark, Kyle Hogg, Paul Horton, Simon Katich, Simon Kerrigan, Arron Lilley, Mitchell McClenaghan, Stephen Moore, Tom Smith.

Ashwell Prince is absent from the team due to 'personal reasons'.

Simon Katich insists that in spite of his former duties at Hampshire, the match will be very difficult, but Lancashire ought to enjoy the affair.

“We are playing the reigning champions on their home patch. From that point of view, hopefully we can just go out there and play with some enjoyment. We've got nothing to lose really,” he said.

“The thing about Twenty20 is that it's all on the day. It doesn't matter what's gone on in the lead-up, it's what's you do on the day. All it takes is one or two guys to have a good day out and you can win the game.

Lancashire will be fully aware of the challenge they face today. Hampshire are the favourites not only in this match, but for them retaining the title. With players like Michael Carberry, James Vince, Jimmy Adams and Sean Ervine, Hampshire have proven to be a destructive force with the bat.

The talented young bowlers on show, such as Chris Wood and Danny Briggs have also been paramount in their success and will prove to be difficult for Lancashire, who lost their last away match heavily to North Group leaders Nottinghamshire Outlaws.

Photos from final day at Leicestershire.

There had been plenty of overnight rain to clear up.

Lancashire knew the key wicket would be
Niall O'Brien - who resumed on 35*.

Kyle Hogg's efforts were vital as
he took 5 for 77 in the second innings.

O'Brien continued to play confidently in
spite of Leicestershire's position.

The Leicestershire wicket keeper reached 50 from 63 balls.

Tom Wells edges to Andrea Agathangelou for 17.

O'Brien follows for 50 - playing
wildly and also edging
to Agathangelou.

Lancashire celebrating they key wicket of the morning session.

Oliver Freckingham edges behind.

Matthew Hoggard is cleanly bowled by Kyle Hogg.

Simon Kerrigan makes a spectacular effort to catch James Sykes off his own bowling.

Sykes is caught an bowled by Glen Chapple - giving
Lancashire an innings and 52-run win over their hosts.

Leicestershire Vs. Lancashire LVCC day four.

Weather holds as Lancs defeat Leicester.

Matthew Hoggard is bowled by Kyle Hogg
who finished with figures of 5-77.

On a day which had originally been forecasted as full of showers, the Division Two leaders were treated to a pleasant morning session, which gave them more than enough time to finish-off a woeful Leicestershire side.

Lancashire are the only team from both divisions who are yet to lose a match this season, with their roses rivals the next best, having lost just one game.

The hosts lost their remaining 5 wickets for just 27 runs, falling to an innings and 52-run defeat, their fourth of the championship campaign.

Leicestershire are also yet to register a victory this season and have never gone a championship season without doing so, but based on this performance it is hard to see where the win will come from.

The key wicket of Niall O'Brien took some work this morning, as the Leicestershire wicket keeper reached his half-century from 63 balls, but his partner Tom Wells edged
to Andrea Agathangelou at second slip for 17.

With no further runs added, O'Brien flashed wildly at a delivery from Kyle Hogg and was also caught by Agathangelou. At this stage the Lancashire players will have felt as if they were closing in on their sixth win of the campaign and when Hogg struck again, forcing Oliver Freckingham to edge behind, the match was coming to its inevitable close.

Hogg refused to offer the hosts any kind of respite, cleanly bowling veteran Matthew Hoogard, as he finished with figures of 5-77.

Rather fittingly the match was ended by Lancashire skipper Glen Chapple who was gifted the wicket of James Sykes, taking a simple caught and bowled with the very first ball of his spell.

Leicestershire Vs. Lancashire LVCC day three.

Rain threatens to halt Lancashire progress.

Further rain fell on the third day of Lancashire's visit to Leicestershire, and if the predicted forecast for the final day is as daunting as it seems then the Division Two leaders may be unable to seal their sixth victory of the campaign. 

Leicestershire still trail by 98 runs in their second innings and have only five wickets remaining, with an innings defeat beckoning.

Lancashire removed the final three first innings wickets, with just 27 runs added to the hosts overnight total of 127-7. Tom Smith was responsible for the bulk of this progress, removing Oliver Freckingham and James Sykes, as he finished with figures of 3-35.

The unstoppable left-arm spinner Simon Kerrigan (3-52) then dismissed Matthew Hoggard for no score, allowing a dominant Lancashire side to enforce the follow-on. 

Already under the cosh, Leicestershire's follow-on began in a manner that has become typical of their season, as Greg Smith was trapped leg before to Kyle Hogg off the first delivery.

Hogg then added Michael Thornley to his collection, as light rain began to fall. Ned Eckersley (25) had shown promise but was humiliated by a run out which caused the hosts to fall to 41-3, with the rain now reaching unplayable proportions.

With nearly four hours of play lost, Lancashire may well have wrapped-up victory inside three days and they will be hopeful that the rain can hold of for little more than a session tomorrow.

Upon resuming play at 5pm, the visitors replicated their work of the previous day, claiming two late wickets to bolster their chances for success in spite of the weather. 

Shiv Thakor chipped to Luke Procter at square-leg, with Leicestershire now 53-4, giving Glen Chapple his third wicket of the match thus far.

A much needed stand worth 55 between captain Matthew Boyce and Niall O'Brien (35*) gave the hosts a degree of pride, but the former will have been dissapointed to be removed by part-time spinner Andrea Agathangelou for 27.

Leicestershire Vs. Lancashire LVCC day two.

Lancashire edge second day at Grace Road.

Luke Procter made 67 in Lancashire's first innings.

Thanks to late wickets at Leicestershire, the Division Two leaders were able to clinch the second day despite a heavy delay for rain that threatened to ruin the efforts they had made in their first innings.

The visitors first innings total of 380 proved to be a daunting one for the Leicestershire, who currently occupy the bottom of the table and are without a win in their first ten matches.

Leicestershire closed on 127-7, a total which surely leaves Lancashire the stronger side, with the hosts still 101 runs away from avoiding the follow-on. 

Luke Procter added 30 more to his overnight score of 37 not out, before he was the seventh Lancashire wicket to fall - giving James Sykes his only wicket of the innings. 

Further contributions from Gareth Cross (33) helped the visiting side past 350 inside 110 overs - but the efforts of Oliver Freckingham were able to salvage a small amount of pride as the pace bowler finished with figures of 4-85. 

Freckingham removed Lancashire's last three wickets, including Cross and the captain Glen Chapple (4), giving Leicestershire a chance to turn the match around.

But, rather typically, the hosts capitualted either side of a rain delay, falling to 46-4 after such a short amount of their first innings. 

Greg Smith gave the dangerous Kyle Hogg his first of two wickets and Michael Thornley's dismissal rewarded Tom Smith for his efforts in the 17th over with the score at 33-2.

Further wickets removed Ned Eckersley and captain Matthew Boyce and the departure of the latter was followed by a heavy rain delay, which caused 13 overs to be lost.

The loss of Niall O'Brien proved to be key, as the wicket-keeper had made 41 in a 65-run stand with Shiv Thakor (34), with the hosts now stumbling to 111-5. 

With just a handful of deliveries left in the day, Lancashire kept their focus, taking two late wickets to maintain their hold on the match. 

Thakor and debutant Thomas Wells both fell with the score on 127 and no further runs were added before Lancashire closed in the ascendancy. 

Photos from first day at Leicestershire.

Leicestershire Vs. Lancashire LVCC day one.

Horton return inspires leaders Lancs.

Paul Horton's return to the Lancs team saw
him hit a confident 59 with 11 fours.

After a two-month absence from the side, Paul Horton registered a confident 59, as the Division Two leaders took control on the first day of their match at Leicestershire.

Closing on 303-5, Lancashire seized the benefits of batting first on a beautiful August day, as the leaders of the second division took on the bottom side, who are yet to win after 10 matches.

Horton was aided by youngster Luis Reece, who made the highest score of the day and indeed his Lancashire career, registering an impressive 85 before he fell to Tom Wells, who made his first-class debut today.

The Red Rose's sixth opening batting combination of the campaign proved to be tough for the hosts, as Lancashire reached a record opening stand worth 104.

Horton's half-century, which came from just 72 balls, helped the visitors to reach 100 before the lunchtime interval, but the opener was unable to add to his score after the break, falling to Alex Wyatt.

A 77-run stand between Reece and Ashwell Prince (33) then cemented Lancashire's position with the former passing fifty in 112 deliveries. When Leicestershire broke the second-wicket stand they were rewarded with the wicket of Reece, who was
bitterly disappointed not to reach three figures for the first time in his first-class career.

Now 181-3, Lancashire had suffered a minor blow, but the ever-dependable Australian, Simon Katich, added 62 to the visitors total. Achieving the fastest fifty of the day, facing just 69 balls to reach this milestone, Katich accelerated the innings to help Lancashire in their quest to return back to the first division.

After his departure, Luke Procter (37*) took responsibility, as he and Tom Smith (8*) helped the visitors to close unscathed by the Leicestershire attack.