Lancashire trio put on sizzling show in the heat

WITH the sun beating down on a parched Uptonsteel County Ground, Lancashire Lightning's power-packed, international-class line-up proved too much for Leicestershire Foxes, who raised a slightly below par 156-7 on a slow pitch.

- BY MATT THACKER

Lightning's top three of Phil Salt, Jos Buttler and Liam Livingstone, with 275 T20I and 1,194 total T20 games between them, coolly managed the reply, reaching 91 for 1 off the first 10 to leave the second half something of a stroll.

Livingstone reached a 28-ball half-century in an eventual 74 and even though Rehan Ahmed had Salt lbw, with Ben McDermott, debutant Shadab Khan and Livingstone following, Lightning were too strong and ran out winners by five wickets with seven balls to spare.

Lightning, with Pakistani off-spinner Shadab drafted in during the week and making his debut, won the toss and elected to bowl.