Vitality Blast 2022: Last ball thriller, Lancashire Lightning beat Yorkshire Vikings
Lancashire Lighting defeated Yorkshire Vikings by four runs in a thriller at Roses as Tom Hartley grabbed the crucial last-ball catch on the boundary, just managing to keep his feet inside the rope
Singapore international Tim David smashed 66 off 32 ballsBatting first, Lancashire lost their early wicket of Phil Salt (10) as David Willey dismissed him in the third over. It followed a 72-run partnership between Keaton Jennings and Steven Croft. Before being trapped by Jordan Thompson, the duo made exemplary contributions of 42 and 41 runs, respectively. The power-hitter Liam Livingstone couldn't add much as he got out for a 6-ball 2. At the same time, Tim David added 66 runs off 32 balls as he made a 96-run partnership with Dane Vilas, who remained unbeaten at 40 to take the total to 213 for a loss of five wickets. Not an aggressive play, but Tim David played effectively as any batter should in the world. His strike rate of 165 is outdone only by Andre Russell and Finn Allen.
While chasing, Adam Lyth and Dawid Malan opened; however, Liam Livingstone took Malan in the very first over, giving the team a significant breakthrough. Tom Kohler-Cadmore joined Adam Lyth to build a 119-run stand, off 55 deliveries, and took Yorkshire to 124/1 in the 10th over. As Danny Lamb and Tom Hartley dismissed Adam Lyth (38) and Tom Kohler (77), it was expected to pause their fast-going innings. But skipper David Willey played sensationally, scoring a 27-ball half-century and leading his team towards victory. Richard Gleeson caught and bowled David Willey, departing him off 52. With the skipper returning to the pavilion in the 18th over, Will Fraine, Jonathan Tattersall, and Jordan Thompson became victims of the Lancashire bowling attack, losing wickets for a single-digit individual score. With Luke Wood giving away just four runs in the penultimate over, Yorkshire now just needed 16 in the last over, and it was Dominic Drake and Matthey Revis on the crease. The total reduced to 5 required off the final ball with Drake on strike. Drake smashed the ball to the deep boundary point; it went high enough but failed to cross the ropes as Tom Hartley took the superb catch, leaving the crowd in a dilemma of whether he stepped on the rope until declared wicket by the umpire.
Lancashire has now won six of their seven matches in this season's competition and stays top of the table, whereas Yorkshire Viking is placed fourth with three wins and three losses.