Lightning ease past Dynamos
Source -
sportinglife.com
Mal Loye hit Lancashire's second century in two games, to help his side see off a spirited Durham Dynamos in the Twenty20 Cup at Old Trafford.
Mal Loye hit Lancashire's second century in two games, to help his side see off a spirited Durham Dynamos in the Twenty20 Cup at Old Trafford.
The victory is the Lightning's fourth straight win in the competition, after they beat Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Yorkshire earlier in the week.
After Lancashire won the toss and decided to bat, Loye hit Dynamos quickie Liam Plunkett for two boundaries in the first over, and the former Northants man was in full control.
He shrugged off the loss of opening partner Stuart Law in the second over, to the bowling of Neil Killeen, and hit fours and sixes all around the ground.
He and Twenty20 magician Brad Hodge put on 160 for the second wicket to fire the Lightning to their second score above 200 in two games.
After guiding the hosts to 51 after the first six over fielding restrictions, the pair richly entertained a packed Old Trafford.
Loye was the first to reach his half century in the eight over, with a trademark sweep off the medium pace of Nathan Astle, before Hodge got there shortly afterwards - after being dropped by Killeen on 36.
This only spurred the Aussie on, who took a particular liking to spinner Gareth Breese before the West Indian had him caught by Gary Pratt late on.
Before that with only one wicket down, Lancashire had looked likely to get past the highest Twenty20 score of 224, but, with Loye nearing his century, things slowed.
The further wickets of Dominic Cork and Loye, for exactly 100, added to this - but Steven Crook (16) boosted the total to 208 for four.
In reply, Durham got off to a steady start scoring 54 off the first six overs, and losing only Nicky Peng (20) and Phil Mustard.
The pace then quickened as Astle and Gordon Muchall rode their luck. Both were dropped by Steven Crook in consecutive overs, as the score raced past 100.
Astle's fifty followed, before Andrew Crook showed his brother how to do it by catching the Kiwi in the next over off the bowling of Glen Chapple.
Despite Gordon Muchall still being set at the crease, this wicket really ended the Durham hopes, and further wickets from Cork and Hodge sealed the home win that virtually assures a quarter final place.
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