Leicestershire vs. Lancashire: Match Tied

Posted on August 27, 2011 by Matt H in T20

The first semi-final contained a decent amount of drama and plenty of excitement.

Showers affected the Leicestershire innings, which was eventually reduced to 18 overs. Glen Chapple took a wicket from the first ball, but then Will Jefferson scored a useful 23. Lancashire’s spinners took control and never allowed the Leicestershire middle order to settle. Abdul Razzaq however did manage to bludgeon 36 to carry his side to 132/6. The two spinners Gary Keedy and Stephen Parry bowled well to only concede 40 runs from their combined eight overs.

Lancashire were set 134 to win, but with showers around the local area, both teams had to keep reviewing the Duckworth-Lewis par score. With Leicestershire one run ahead and the rain pounding down, their wicketkeeper Paul Nixon threw the ball to the bowler’s end; it ricocheted off the stumps to give Lancashire an overthrow that tied the scores (against the D/L par). After the skies had cleared, Lancashire’s target was revised to a further 27 runs required from 19 balls. Unfortunately for Leicestershire, the loss of overs meant their frontline bowlers had suddenly reached their maximum overs. Joshua Cobb and Wayne White bowled well and wickets fell quickly, but Lancashire never gave up. Needing seven runs to win from the final ball, Gareth Cross smote White for a six over long on that tied the teams.

After an interlude of confusion, the line-ups for the super duper super over eliminator were announced. Lancashire hit 13 from Claude Henderson’s over. Gareth Keedy had the responsibility to defend this target, but Jefferson showed no fears in drilling two fours and a final, massive six, to send Leicestershire into the final.