SECONDS SUFFER NARROW DEFEAT TO STRONG LANCASHIRE SIDE

Lancashire secured a narrow victory over Nottinghamshire’s Second XI in their Trophy match, despite 96 from Sam Wood in the first innings. 

Having won the toss Nottinghamshire chose to bat first against a strong looking Lancashire team which included Andrew Flintoff, as well as multiple members of the side beaten by Nottinghamshire’s first team in their LV= County Championship clash at Trent Bridge in April.

Sam Kelsall and Matt Cross opened the batting but Cross offered an easy catch to cover, taken by Liam Livingstone off Gavin Griffith’s bowling in the 12^th over and Sam Wood came to the crease.

The pair settled into a good partnership with the hundred coming up along with Kelsall’s fifty in the 24^th over. They reached the 100 partnership in the 31^st over and Sam Wood reached his fifty in the 37^th. The partnership ended on 148 in the 40^th over when Kelsall (87) was run out by Kyle Jarvis, the score 176-2 and Brett Hutton joined Wood. The 200 came up in the 43^rd over but in the 45^th Wood was bowled by Flintoff for an outstanding 96, the score on 223. Hutton (18) was caught by Flintoff off Griffiths for 18 but Luke Fletcher (14*) and Anuj Dal (16*) saw off the remaining balls, the final score 267-4 after 50 overs.

The Lancashire reply came from Luis Reece and Karl Brown but the latter was trapped lbw by Luke Fletcher for 14 in the 5^th over. Andrea Agathangelou was next to the middle and the fifty came up in the 11^th over but shortly afterwards Agathangelou (16) was caught by keeper Matt Cross off Jake Ball’s bowling (58-2). Jordan Clark joined Reece but Adam Tillcock had him caught for 8 by Fletcher in the 18^th over, the score 78-3. 

The hundred came up in the 23^rd over and Reece reached his fifty in the 28^th (121-3) but in the 30^th Procter (36) was adjudged lbw to Tillcock, the score 135-4. Reece was joined by Liam Livingstone, the 150 coming up in the 33^rd over but Reece (69) then edged to Brett Hutton at first slip off Jake Ball (152-5) and Andrew Flintoff joined the fray.

The 200 was reached first ball of the 39^th over but next over Flintoff (40) was bowled by Brett Hutton (212-6) and skipper Stephen Parry joined Livingstone. The visitors kept chipping away at the target and with eight overs to go they needed just 38 to win. The home side kept ringing the changes but it was the 46^th over before another wicket fell, Parry (29) caught at slip by Hutton off Ben Kitt (263-7). Aaron Lilley came in and hit a six to win the match for Lancashire in the 47^th over, the final score 273-7, Livingstone 38 not out and Lilley 7 not out, a win by 3 wickets.