Red Rose fall just short but delight Liam
LIAM Livingstone hailed his battling Lancashire side after they fell just short of what would have been a record run chase in their Royal London One-Day Cup clash with Yorkshire.
Blistering centuries from Adam Lyth and David Willey saw the White Rose post a massive 379-7 – and the Red Rose were in it all the way until the 49th over when they were bowled out 16 runs short.
Livingstone and Keaton Jennings hit 79 and 69 as Lancashire reached the 25-over mark at 215-2 before falling to 363 all out.
“It was a great game of cricket,” said Livingstone. “We got ourselves into a winning position and couldn’t quite get over the line. So it’s disappointing, but we are pretty happy with the way that we’ve fought right until the end, which is nice to see.
“It’s exciting that we haven’t played to our potential yet and we’ve looked a very good side.
“Looking forward, we have an explosive batting order, and it’s good to see. We have an inexperienced side, so the younger boys will learn from that.”
Lyth recorded a career-best 144 off 132 balls and Willey 131 off 95 in a 235-run stand as Yorkshire posted their highest List A score against county opposition. Willey also finished with 4-59 from 9.5 overs.
Lancashire’s fielding cost them as they dropped several catches, including Lyth three times.
But they also paid for playing just one frontline seamer in Tom Bailey, with Aussie bowler Joe Mennie being rested ahead of the weekend’s County Championship match against Essex and Lancashire already out of the One-Day Cup.
“Considering we played with one out-and-out seamer, it was tough at times,” admitted Livingstone.
Lancashire lost Alex Davies early in their chase before Jennings and Livingstone put the visitors under pressure.
The Red Rose skipper hit his first ball for six off Matthew Fisher and later pulled Liam Plunkett for a six and two fours on the way to a 33-ball 50.
Jennings followed him to 50 before both holed out to Plunkett and Steve Patterson as the score fell to 218-3 in the 26th over.
South African Dane Vilas kept home hopes high with 47, but he was the second of three quick wickets as the score slipped to 238-5.
Adil Rashid had Josh Bohannon caught and bowled then Jordan Clark was caught at mid-off in the 43rd over to leave Lancashire 302-8.
Bailey and Stephen Parry shared 59 to heighten tensions before Willey bowled the former for 33 in the penultimate over and trapped Parry lbw.