Lancashire 208 for 4 (Jennings 75, Vilas 63*) beat Yorkshire 204 for 7 (Kohler-Cadmore 66, Thompson 50) by six wickets
What might have passed us by? He now has three half-centuries on Finals Day, and nobody has made more. The latest – 75 from 51 balls – was enough to guide Lancashire into the Blast final by six wickets with eight balls to spare. His range is extending, he played with elegance and equanimity and, in the heat of a Roses T20, neither quality is seen in abundance.
Jennings certainly arrived at Edgbaston in blissful form. If you must drag yourself wearily from the field on Thursday evening after a four-day Championship match, only 40 hours before a semi-final, as these two sides did at Southport and Scarboriugh respectively, then do so with a triple-century to your name.
Yorkshire’s 204 for 7 was the second highest total on Finals Day, where nerves are often a handicap, but they never looked like defending it. Lancashire took heart in the fact that they held the highest (217 for 4 vs Surrey in 2005). More relevant was a golden summer’s day and the potential vulnerability of Yorkshire’s pace attack in the absence with England of their T20 captain, David Willey, who has bowled the most difficult overs all season and offered wise counsel to the rest of the attack.
An immense Powerplay of 89 for 2 had released the pressure. Phil Salt was the main provider, 36 from 15 balls. Revis, in his first full bowling season, found him impossible to contain as he conceded 25 from four balls. The first six only just cleared Will Fraine at deep square leg, but by the time he suffered a free-hit six over long-on, the over was coloured a deep shade of extreme red. He responded spiritedly, a back-of-a-length ball that had Salt caught at the wicket, only for Steven Croft to take up the cudgels to take the runs tally to 29.
The quick departure of Adam Lyth, slicing Luke Wood to deep point, was a blow; only four players had outdone his 525 tournament runs. Dawid Malan, in the other opener’s berth, was in good fettle for his 33 from 22, his guarded dink to third man operating at peak efficiency. Lancashire conceded 67 for 1 in the Powerplay – their second worst outcome of the season.
Lancashire entrusted 12 overs to their three pace bowlers, but it was a day when their spinners might have been given more licence. Matt Parkinson bowled Malan as he made room to force through the offside, lost Lancashire’s review as he sought an lbw against the advancing Brook, who was then bowled by Luke Wells, chopping on. Brook’s imperious form has faltered during a month in and out of various England squads.
Kohler-Cadmore took time to work out the surface. A nervy single off the mark against Gleeson would have seen him run out without scoring if Vilas’ had hit the stumps from mid-on, and a couple of mishit pulls fell safely into the legside. But gradually he found his touch and crucially won his battle with Gleeson, repeatedly pummelling him down the ground. Shadab Khan summoned his best score of the season (34 from 24), but with bat or ball never suggested he was about to transform the game.
David Hopps writes on county cricket for ESPNcricinfo @davidkhopps
Source: ESPN Crickinfo