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Loye puts Lancs on the verge

Mal Loye, who missed last year's Twenty20 finals day though injury, is determined to feature in this summer's showpiece at the Oval.

Mal Loye, who missed last year's Twenty20 finals day though injury, is determined to feature in this summer's showpiece at the Oval.

And a glittering century in front of an Old Trafford full-house yesterday took him, and Lancashire, one step closer.

Loye at his best is something not to be missed in one-day cricket. Put him centre-stage on a good batting track at the Oval and we'll be in for some fireworks.

But that's still some way off - although four home wins on the trot have virtually clinched Lancashire's place in the last eight on July 18.

Lancashire have turned Old Trafford into a Twenty20 fortress with victories over Yorkshire, Derbyshire, Leicester and Durham, who were crushed by 37 runs with Loye's 100 crowned by five sixes.

Like Stuart Law and Brad Hodge, Loye has come back strongly after a slow start this season's. He shared in a century stand against Yorkshire with Law and yesterday hammered 165 for the second wicket with Hodge, believed to be the biggest partnership in the competition's history. It hauled Lancashire to 208-4, beating their previous highest of 207-7 in the Roses clash.

Each of Durham's batsmen walked out to the Geordie anthem of Local Hero, but none of them rivalled Loye - nor Hodge who slammed 68. Nathan Astle, the fast-scoring Kiwi, might have caused Lancs a couple of problems after being dropped by Steven Crook - who had also let Gordon Muchall off the hook - a strange double boob from one of the country's best fielders.

But then Astle tried to uppercut Glen Chapple and was comfortably taken at deep third man by Andrew Crook.

Durham folded after that, with Lancashire taking some revenge for their championship thrashing six weeks ago.

Loye completed his afternoon by catching Dale Benkenstein at midwicket off Hodge and Dominic Cork removed Gary Pratt lbw, bowled Gareth Breese, and ran out Muchall with a smart piece of fielding off his own bowling.

But there was no arguments about man of the match with Loye following Law and Hodge into the individual winners' list. Lancashire complete the group programme with trips to Derbyshire tonight and Durham on Wednesday.

They still can't afford any daft slip-ups in such a tightly-contested group, and the pitches at both grounds will not suit their spin strategy as much as Old Trafford - but they will kick themselves long and hard if they lose out now.

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