Lancs coach: ‘We just weren’t good enough’
LANCASHIRE are out of the NatWest T20 Blast, but not without a fight.
After a mixed North Group campaign, qualifying for the last eight was always going to be tough heading into last night’s final match against Birmingham Bears.
They not only had to win, but hope at least two other results went their way.
In the end, that was academic, as they were beaten by the Bears, who themselves secured their place in the quarter-finals with victory at Emirates Old Trafford.
But having looked dead and buried with Birmingham coasting on 145-1 in reply to their 163-4, Lightning claimed seven wickets in 23 balls to leave the visitors nervously on 160-8 going into the last over. The Bears held their nerve, and won with three balls to spare to join Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Leicestershire in the last eight from the North Group. In the end, the win wouldn’t have been enough for Glen Chapple’s men.
Having won the tournament for the first time in 2015, Lancashire have now failed to get out of the group stage for two years running – the first time that has happened. It is only the fifth time they have missed out on the knockout stages in the 14-year history of the competition.
And it has come despite them having Jos Buttler available for the whole group stage, and overseas signing Juniad Khan missing just two.
“We haven’t played well enough to qualify, and we have to admit that to ourselves,” said head coach Glen Chapple.
“There are things we can clearly see we can do better.
“We are looking for a campaign where we dominate. We started this one well, but then it got patchy, we lost games to rain, but we have to look to improve.”
Buttler scored his second consecutive half-century last night, hitting 58 off 42 balls as Lancashire scored what looked like a competitive target. After Jordan Clark and Liam Livingstone (39 from 28) had given Lightning a fast start, racing to 50 in powerplay, Buttler and Vilas (30) began to build with an 86-run stand from 10 overs.
But it wasn’t enough as Eddie Pollock gave Birmingham a brilliant start. The 22-year-old hit four sixes and five fours on his way to a 24-ball 49 as the Bears reached 62-1 at the end of the powerplay.
Adam Hose (49 off 35) and Dominic Sibley (53 off 38) then continued the onslaught with an 84-run stand in 10 overs. Both were dropped, Matthew Parkinson and Jordan Clark the culprits, and that proved crucial.
They took Birmingham to the verge of victory, before the late tumble of wickets in which Junaid Khan, Arron Lilley and Liam Livingstone all claimed two apiece.
Now Lancashire return to the Specsavers County Championship Division One title bid against Warwickshire on August 28 at Emirates Old Trafford with their white ball season over.
Meanwhile, Chapple has confirmed Lancashire have shown an interest in signing England seamer Steven Finn, who is out of contract at Middlesex at the end of the season.