Eagles see of Lancs to reach Blast finals day
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Lancashire Lightning v Essex Eagles – Vitality Blast quarter-final – Chester le Street (7pm)
Lancashire Lightning 159//5 (20.0 overs)
Essex Eagles 165/4 (19.2 overs)
Essex Eagles won the toss and elected to bowl
Essex Eagles won by six wickets
ESSEX EAGLES remarkable Vitality Blast campaign continued as they saw off the damp Chester le Street conditions and a much-fancied Lancashire Lightning side to reach finals day later this month.
In a game played at Durham’s home due to Old Trafford stagging the fourth Ashes Test, Essex took the ball – and initially, control – as Aaron Beard and Ravi Bopara got amongst the wickets, leaving Lancashire seemingly struggling.
Alex Davies and skipper Dane Vilas compiled a fourth-wicket stand of 89 to drag Lancs back into contention. Davies finishing on 80 off 55 deliveries, carrying his side to a competitive 159/5.
Shortly after play resumed, the squalid weather conditions forced the players off for the best part of half an hour. However, Essex’s progress was hindered when Cameron Delport, who had looked relatively comfortable, was caught by Steven Croft at long-on off Glenn Maxwell. Then, off the next ball, Adam Wheater was run out following – Josh Bohannon hitting the stumps as the tide turned again
But a pair of partnerships ensured Essex their place at Edgbaston on Saturday, September 21. Ryan ten Doeschate and Dan Lawrence cobbled together 39. And after Lawrence’s dismissal – spectacularly caught by James Faulkner off Liam Livingston – Ravi Bopara arrived at the helm.
Needing to pick up the pace, Bopara hit 39* off 18 and ten Doeschate 45* off 31 – an unbroken stand of 60 to see Essex home with four balls to spare.
Incredibly, Essex appeared dead and buried at the group stage but won four of their last five matches to qualify by the skin of their teeth. They are now just two victories away from arguably the most unlikely title success in this form of the game’s history.
Lancashire Lightning: Alex Davies, Liam Livingstone, Steven Croft, Keaton Jennings, Glenn Maxwell, Dane Vilas (Capt) (WK), James Faulkner, Josh Bohannon, Saqib Mahmood, Richard Gleeson, Matthew Parkins
Essex Eagles: Cameron Delport, Tom Westley, Adam Wheater (WK), Dan Lawrence, Ryan ten Doeschate, Ravi Bopara, Paul Walter, Simon Harmer (Capt), Aaron Beard, Jamie Porter, Adam Zampa
Umpires: Martin Saggers, Michael Burns and Jeremy Lloyds
