Lancashire's Blackpool T20 hero Jos Buttler not 'anywhere near my best'

The England white-ball captain's 58 from 42 balls got the Red Rose off to a flyer as they chased down a target of 177 set by the group leaders at Stanley Park on Wednesday.

It was Buttler's first win in four T20 games since rejoining Lancashire from Rajasthan Royals in the IPL.

His combined run total from the first three was 35 and this was only the 32-year-old’s second 50 in his last 14 innings in this format.

But Buttler insisted his scores don't tell the full story, saying: “Sometimes you just don’t get the runs you want to score.

“Today I didn’t feel anywhere near my best but it was nice to get some runs under my belt and time in the middle.

“It’s very easy to get caught up in the scores. That’s what everybody else looks at.

“Personally, I have the discipline to look at my own game without getting too caught up in results.

“At the start of the IPL, I probably felt as good as I’ve ever felt with the bat.

“Then the back half fell away - not just the results were different but something felt different for me.

“But since I’ve been back in the UK, I’ve felt great, even though I hadn’t got a score until today.”

A welcome return to winning ways left Lancashire fourth in their group (four wins, four defeats), with six Blast fixtures remaining after a break for County Championship action. They welcome Hampshire to Southport for a four-dayer on Sunday before resuming T20 duties at Northamptonshire on Friday, June 16.

Buttler added: “Winning games of cricket is what you want to do and it’s a much better dressing room.

“The competition is quite even when you look at the table and there’s still plenty of time left for us.”

Lancashire return to Blackpool on July 10 for a Championship game against Essex.