Leicestershire join Lancashire in Vitality Blast quarter-finals with victory at Old Trafford

A captain’s performance by Colin Ackermann ensured that Leicestershire Foxes will join Lancashire in the Vitality Blast quarter-finals after defeating Lightning by 22 runs in the final group game at Emirates Old Trafford.
Alex Davies scored a half-century but was disappointed by Lancashire's displayAlex Davies scored a half-century but was disappointed by Lancashire's display
Alex Davies scored a half-century but was disappointed by Lancashire's display

Ackermann took three for 18, all his wickets in the same over, as the home side managed only 132 for 5 in reply to the Foxes’ 154 for 5, an effort that had included valuable 40s from both Nick Welch and Arron Lilley.

The main features of Leicestershire’s six Powerplay overs were the two sixes pulled to the long boundary by Welch off Saqib Mahmood and the three tight overs bowled by Luke Wood, who conceded just five runs in that exceptional spell.

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Wood also took the wicket of Gareth Delany in the opening exchanges when the dangerous Irish batsman gloved an attempted pull to wicket keeper Alex Davies but Welch hit further sixes off Liam Livingstone and Matthew Parkinson before he was caught for 43 by Josh Bohannon off Livingstone.

Lancashire’s three spinners kept the scoring rate in check and the visitors were indebted to Lilley’s 41-ball 49 for making sure they posted a defendable total. Ackermann was run out by Davies’ direct hit for 29 but Leicestershire scored 18 runs off Saqib Mahmood’s last over.

Tom Hartley bowled impressively again, conceding only 18 runs from three overs.

The home side’s innings began with Liam Livingstone hitting two sixes off Callum Parkinson only to be caught for 20 by Ackermann off Gavin Griffiths, leaving Lancashire on 38 for one at the end of the Powerplay.

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Lightning had lost no more wickets but still needed 87 when the final 10 overs began.

The 16th over transformed the game as Ackermann took three wickets in four balls.

Steven Croft was caught at deep backward square leg by Dieter Klein for 36, Davies was caught behind by Lewis Hill for a 48-ball 52 and Bohannon was bowled for nought.

Lancashire skipper Dane Vilas was caught at cover by Ackermann off Klein, also without scoring, and Lancashire suddenly needed 40 off 18 balls, which proved beyond their later batsmen.

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Group runners-up Lancashire’s qualification for the quarter-finals was already secure and they will visit Sussex a week on Thursday, bidding for a place in finals day the following Saturday.

Leicestershire finish third in the northern group and face winners Notts Outlaws in the last eight.

Lancashire’s Davies said: “We’re disappointed. The last two games we’ve played haven’t been acceptable but you have to take into account that we are a young side and there are not as many T20 games in the 11 as we are used to. It’s important we take the last two losses and learn from them.

“T20 can be a game of momentum, so we do need to address and arrest what’s happened. We’ve got a few days off now, so hopefully we can have a debrief and go again in the quarters.”