Lancashire broke their six-game losing streak in the Metro Bank One Day Cup with a hard-fought four-run win over Northamptonshire at Wantage Road, thanks to a determined 53 from George Balderson.
Balderson's innings, which included five fours and a six, was instrumental in a crucial 65-run partnership with Josh Boyden (44 off 35 balls) after Lancashire had slumped to 152-7. Their efforts lifted Lancashire to a total of 240-9, a target that proved just out of reach for Northamptonshire in a tense chase.
In a bottom-of-the-table clash, Ben Sanderson gave Northamptonshire an early advantage by removing two of Lancashire's top-order batsmen in quick succession, while Saif Zaib's three-wicket haul for 44 kept the pressure on. However, Balderson and Boyden's late resistance shifted the momentum back to Lancashire.
During Northamptonshire's chase, Justin Broad scored a career-best 63, his first List A half-century, and shared a crucial 77-run partnership with captain Lewis McManus. Boyden, who also shone with the ball, broke the partnership by dismissing McManus. Despite a gritty 27 from Gus Miller, Northamptonshire fell just short.
Sanderson had set the tone for the match early, clean-bowling Kesh Fonseka and sending Josh Bohannon’s stumps tumbling as the Lancashire captain advanced down the pitch. George Bell, who struck seven boundaries in his 35, was eventually dismissed by a reverse-sweep that was caught by Bartlett at backward point.
Rocky Flintoff contributed 23 runs before being adjudged lbw to Zaib while attempting a reverse sweep. Zaib also dismissed Venkatesh Iyer, leaving Lancashire reeling at 98-5. Australian Chris Green provided some stability with a quick 33, but his aggressive shot against Miller ended in a brilliant catch by James Sales on the boundary.
Balderson, who was dropped early in his innings, began to accelerate, driving the ball fluently through the covers and pulling for six to reach his half-century. Weatherall, despite bowling impressively, was unlucky as several chances went just out of reach, including a dropped catch on the boundary off Boyden, who later struck his second six to close the innings.
Boyden started strongly with the ball as well, clean-bowling Sales, but Prithvi Shaw (23) posed a threat, hitting two boundaries and a fortuitous six off Boyden before falling to a sharp catch by Will Williams.
Northamptonshire's Bartlett (35) showed excellent placement, steering Boyden for four and threading consecutive boundaries through the onside. However, both Bartlett and Zaib were stumped off deliveries from Morley and Green, respectively, leaving Northamptonshire at 89-4.
McManus injected energy into the chase with two boundaries and sixes off Green and Morley, while Broad brought up his half-century. However, McManus's dismissal after a pull shot was caught at deep square leg shifted the match back in Lancashire’s favour.
With Northamptonshire needing 58 runs from the final 10 overs, Broad was trapped lbw trying to sweep Morley. Despite a late surge from Ricardo Vasconcelos (19) and Miller, who scooped and cut for boundaries, the chase fell short as Vasconcelos was caught in the deep, leaving 13 needed off eight deliveries. Miller's final four off Green in the last over kept hopes alive, but he was run out for 27, leaving Northamptonshire’s tailenders with too much to do in the final two balls.