Clydesdale Bank 40: Sussex vs. Lancashire Match Review

Clydesdale Bank 40: Sussex vs. Lancashire Match Review

Lancashire’s chances of making the semi-final were washed away by Sussex in an entertaining Clydesdale Bank 40 clash at Old Trafford on Tuesday, 3^rd August. The Sussex Sharks set up a four-wicket victory over Lancashire as they chased down 245 with four balls to spare.  The second consecutive victory for Sussex helped them maintain pressure on Group A’s top team Somerset.

Paul Horton blazed away with the bat to lift Lancashire to a competitive 244 for 7. However, the score was not enough to deny the in-form Sussex side an easy win. James Kirtley’s 3 for 35 and a crucial run out of opener Tom Smith was well complimented by captain Michael Yardy and Ed Joyce. The batsmen chased down an imposing 245 with four wickets in hand and four balls to spare.

Lancashire skipper Paul Horton after winning the toss decided to bat first. The opening pair of Karl Brown and Tom Smith posted 33 runs from seven overs. James Kirtley earned his side a breakthrough on the first ball of the seventh over when he bowled Karl Brown. He scored 17 runs from 18 balls after hitting two fantastic boundaries. After Browns dismissal, Lancashire kept on losing wickets at regular intervals on a placid Old Trafford pitch.

Kirtley struck back in the next over when Steven Croft, who was struggling at the crease, lost his wicket after giving an edge to wicket-keeper Andy Hodd off Kirtley. Croft’s 10-ball innings earned Lancashire only 2 runs. The departure of Steven Croft brought captain Paul Horton to the crease and in partnership with Brown’s opening partner Tom Smith, the pair posted 37 runs for the 3^rd wicket partnership at a slower pace of 4.93 runs per over. Opener Tom Smith needlessly squandered his wicket in the 17^th over when a misunderstanding between Smith and Horton led the former to be run out on Kirtley’s quick throw. Smith scored 34 runs from 38 balls. His 66 minutes stay at the crease saw him hit the ball to the boundary on 4 occasions.

Smith’s dismissal took Gareth Cross to the track to aid captain Paul Horton’s assault. Both the partners shared the highest partnership for Lancashire with a total accumulation of 40 runs from five overs at a run rate of 7.74 per over. Gareth Cross and Horton played a flurry of sweetly timed boundaries during their 31-ball partnership for the fifth wicket stand. That became 118 for 4 when Cross mistimed Monty Panesar to Yasir Arafat in the 22^nd over. He scored 19 runs from as many balls including two fours as well.

Sajid Mahmood and the fluent captain posted 30 runs to the team’s total for the fifth wicket partnership. Mahmood was the fifth man to lose the wicket when he was caught by Ollie Rayner off his own ball. He scored 16 runs from 12 deliveries plundering a boundary and a six. The next man to go was the top scorer for Lancashire, Paul Horton. Horton was bowled by his counterpart Michael Yardy off a fine delivery. His 73-balls innings earned him 69 runs containing 5 splendid boundaries.

Wicket-keeper batsman Luke Sutton added 23 runs to the scorecard before slashing James Kirtley to Gatting. Some late hitting from Kyle Hogg including three boundaries and a six helped Lancashire cross the 200-run mark. Hogg and Stephen Parry clinched 33 runs from the last 21 balls, taking their side to 244 for 7 at the end of the allotted 40 overs.

Sussex’s run-chase got off to a steady start with Ed Joyce leading from the front despite losing his opening partner Chris Nash in the 3^rd over. Joyce scored 46 runs off48 balls hitting 8 lofty boundaries before Parry bowled him. Joyce’s assault was continued by Joe Gatting with a bludgeoning 71 off 82 which was well supported by Michael Yardy’s unbeaten 46 from 50. Both batsmen took the side home in the final over with four balls to spare.