Croft again stars for in-form Lightning

Steven Croft produced another matchwinning performance against Leicestershire Foxes as Lancashire Lightning picked up a third NatWest T20 Blast win in four matches, this time by a 40-run margin at Grace Road.

Lancashire put an impressive 191-5 on the board after quickfire half-centuries from Paul Horton, Karl Brown and Croft, whose unbeaten 70 secured a last-ball victory in the first meeting of the sides at Old Trafford.

Horton shared 75 for the second wicket with Brown before adding 91 for the third with his captain while Clint McKay took 1-26 from his allocation.

Croft continued to haunt the Foxes by snaring 1-17 from his four overs, including a wicket maiden, as the team closed on 151-8. Tom Wells top-scored with 27 from 21 balls while Aadil Ali marked his NatWest T20 Blast debut with a fine 26 from 21 balls.

Mark Cosgrove won the toss and elected to field and after Ashwell Prince (9, 6b) played the first ball of the second over from Ben Raine on to his wicket, Brown played some terrific strokes either side of the wicket in recording a 31-ball 50.

The number three struck six fours ÔÇô including a couple of terrific drives through extra ÔÇô and two maximums in a knock that gave the Lightning momentum.

Horton played an anchor role while Brown (52, 34b) dominated but then started to hit out when his partner was superbly run out by Cosgrove.

While Horton ticked the board over in moving to 50 from 38 deliveries, skipper Croft again gave the Foxes a headache. The Blackpool-born all-rounder powered his half-century from just 25 balls with four fours and three sixes.

Three wickets fell in the final two overs as Horton holed out to Elliott off the impressive McKay before Raine had a hand in the run outs of Croft (50, 25b) and Alex Davies (3, 2b), but the Lightning still ha an commanding total.

The Foxes were 39-0 in the fifth but lost three wickets in as many overs as Ned Eckersley (19, 17b) was bowled by Kyle Jarvis, Cosgrove was held by Horton at extra off Jordan Clark and Raine launched Parry high to Croft.

Elliott (22, 19b) and Ali (26, 21b) hit some lusty blows, with the Kiwi international striking a six and two fours and the youngster powering two maximums and a four in a highly encouraging performance.

But Elliott was taken by Liam Livingstone at deep backward square and Ali was brilliantly held by Prince at long-off from the bowling of Clark in consecutive overs.

Former Lancashire batsman Andrea Agathangelou (6, 9b) was then caught by Arron Lilley off the returning James Faulkner (4-0-20-1).to leave the Foxes on 107-6 in the 15^th over.

Rob Sayer (9, 8b) became a third victim for Clark (4-0-41-3), again caught by Lilley, before Wells was taken by Croft off Parry, leaving McKay (7 not out) and Jigar Naik (4 not out) not out at the end of the innings.

The result means that the Lightning are now unbeaten in their last nine T20 visits to Grace Road, including eight wins and a tie, and they have 12 points to the Foxes 10.

The Foxes now need to win both of their remaining games, starting with Northants at Wantage Road on Sunday, and hope results go their way if they are to progress to the knockout stages.

Bowling figures: Sheikh 4-0-33-1, Raine 4-0-42-1, McKay 4-0-26-1, Wells 1-0-7-0, Naik 2-0-15-0, Elliott 3-0-35-0, Sayer 2-0-27-0.

* Thanks to Ed Melia for the great photo of Aadil.