Blackpool native Steven Croft’s century led Lancashire to a Royal London Cup Eliminator win over Nottinghamshire after Ben Slater had starred for the Outlaws to post a victory target of 339 at Stanley Park.
Croft’s unbeaten 115 off 105 balls was the key contribution in setting up a semi-final tie with Sussex at Hove on Tuesday, the 37-year-old steering his side to a three-wicket win with nine balls remaining.
Lancashire were in a spot of bother at 237 for six in the 38th over and needed 85 off the last ten. But Croft shared 94 with seventh-wicket partner Danny Lamb, who contributed a crucial 43 before falling with only eight runs needed.
Nottinghamshire’s 338 for eight was underpinned by an excellent 104 off 122 balls from opener, Slater, while Matthew Montgomery contributed 78 to start an impressive all-round day which also included two wickets with his off-spin.
Despite losing the toss and being invited to bat, Notts made themselves immediately at home on the Fylde coast after being inserted, with Slater carving three boundaries from former Outlaw Jack Blatherwick’s first over.
Slater and Budinger have forged an attacking opening partnership in this season’s Royal London Cup, and the 31-year-old’s partner was not to be outdone, clearing the fence on two occasions as the visitors motored through the powerplay.
The Academy graduate swiftly progressed to his second fifty of the campaign, before being pouched on the boundary’s edge for 56.
Now with Lyndon James for company, Slater was soon chalking up a milestone of his own, a seventeenth List A fifty coming from 61 deliveries.
Having begun his innings at a gallop, the southpaw was compelled to change down the gears as Lancashire hit back, removing Lyndon James and Haseeb Hameed in quick succession.
But anything errant was still punished, with a dismissive swat for four off Morley a particular highlight as three figures moved into view.
The ton arrived from 117 balls as Slater caressed Lamb to the fence and embarked on a trademark arms-aloft charge to the non-striker’s end.
The murmur of appreciation around Stanley Park was matched by a notable hubbub amongst the press corps, as it became apparent that the Outlaws opener was in with a chance of becoming the cricketer with the highest List A average of all time.
As it was, Slater’s dismissal for 104 secured fifth place in the table, leaving the likes of Babar Azam and Virat Kohli trailing in his wake.
Meanwhile, an unruffled Montgomery was making serene progress towards his own fifty.
And his hitherto understated innings gathered pace with a six off Balderson that could surely be sighted from Blackpool Tower.
The impetus was with the Outlaws now, Patterson-White striking a proactive 15 before Brett Hutton helped himself to a six and a four off consecutive Lamb deliveries.
The innings concluded with back-to-back Dane Paterson sixes – the first endangering the assembled press corps, the second within spitting distance of the venue’s car park – leaving Notts on 338/8.
Brett Hutton displayed trademark accuracy in his opening overs as Jennings and Wells struggled to pierce the field, but the Red Rose duo soon found another gear as the score ticked past 30.
Jennings’ departure, therefore, to an unplayable delivery from the homegrown right-armer, felt crucial.
But Luke Wells remained a thorn in the Outlaws’ side, moving fluently towards fifty before holing out to Fateh Singh off Paterson just three short of the milestone.
Lancashire rebuilt swiftly, and passed 100 in the 15th over, but Lyndon James’ smart tumbling take at cover to account for Josh Bohannon threatened to turn the tide.
Indeed, the run-rate was briefly stemmed – Dane Vilas and Croft were a touch more circumspect in their approach as accumulation became the order of the day, but the hosts reached halfway handily placed to accelerate with wickets in hand.
Vilas’ run-a-ball contribution would be brought to a close, however, by another fine piece of Outlaws athleticism, as Hameed moved sharply at midwicket to see off the middle-order mainstay for 29.
Notts continued to chip away as Lancashire looked to begin a charge to the line, Balderson brilliantly snared by Montgomery for 15 and Lavelle holing out to James for 18.
But while the hosts had Croft, they had the upper hand. And with a grandstand finish in the making, the experienced all-rounder joined forces with Lamb in what proved to be the gamebreaking stand for the home county.
The Blackpool native's century arrived from 95 balls and, although Hutton removed Lamb caught by Patterson-White to conclude his impeccable tournament with a further three-wicket haul, Croft was destined to take Lancashire home, and he did so with nine balls to spare.
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The Royal London Cup Final
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