Lancashire fight back to end Sussex's cup final charge

Lancashire’s first recovery was with the bat. Their innings was in disarray at 67 for five in the 15th over before it was transformed by a sixth wicket stand of 132 in 20 overs by club captain Dane Vilas and George Lavelle (50). Danny Lamb completed the repair work with 57 from 48 deliveries, with four fours and two sixes, as they reached a competitive 319 for eight.

Their second recuperation was in the field. Sussex, with the clean-hitting Ali Orr once again leading the way, were powerfully placed at 126 for one in the 22nd over. But Lancashire squeezed the run-rate and prised out the Sussex batsmen to win a deserved victory.

The Sussex innings lost some momentum when Orr’s 65-ball 71 came to an end, the second of three wickets for Liam Hurt. But the home side were still favourites to win. The turning point came when captain Chet Pujara, with three centuries in the competition, was third out at 157 in the 30th over. Pujara had spent 31 deliveries compiling ten runs and at the time of his dismissal the required run rate had escalated to over eight an over.

There was a solid 49 off 59 by the returning Tom Haines and another frustrating cameo from Delray Rawlins, who hit a vast straight six and two fours in a 14-ball 23 as he attempted to promote the strike rate. But Sussex finished a long way short in the 47th over of their innings.

Lancashire had chosen to bat first but had cause to regret their decision when their top order was blown away by the Sussex seam attack. Luke Wells, returning to his original county, lost his off stump to Bradley Currie as he moved away to leg, Josh Bohannon was caught in front of his stumps by Ari Karvelas and Lancashire were 62 for three in the 12th over when Keaton Jennings, who had hit a couple of gorgeous drives down the ground, tried to pull a short one from Henry Crocombe and played on for a 24-ball 23.

Lancashire supporters, who know all about the unusual depth of their side’s batting, looked unperturbed. But when Steven Croft played a loose stroke against Fynn Hudson-Prentice and was caught at first slip, and then George Balderson wafted at the same bowler two overs later and was caught behind the side were deep in the mire. But Vilas led the counter-attack, reaching a fine century from 89 deliveries, although he was almost caught in the covers by Pujara at 92. His eventual 121 beat the previous best List A score by a Lancashire batsman at Hove, John Crawley’s 113 in 1997. There were eight fours and six sixes in his 99-ball stay.

Sussex coach James Kirtley: “It’s disappointing, obviously. We got ourselves in a good position earlier in the day. Then Dane Vilas showed his real class and that was an outstanding one-day innings. When you get over 300 you can exert some pressure. And we didn’t play as well as we have done in some of the games this season.

“It will be a hard defeat to accept over the next few days but it will harden them up for future semi-finals because there’s a hell of a lot of talent in that dressing room.”