Lancashire 105 for two (Croft 46*) beat Leicestershire 99 (Wood 3-11, Mahmood 3-17) by eight wickets

Lancashire's star-studded line-up gave Liam Livingstone the proper begin to his spell as Lightning's Vitality Blast captain with a landslide eight-wicket win over Leicestershire at Emirates Old Trafford.

Livingstone did not bat or bowl on this lunchtime fixture, along with his England white-ball team-mate Wood setting the tone with two wickets within the third over. He obtained openers Sol Budinger and Nick Welch caught pulling because the rating fell to 17 for two.

Lancashire have began their bid for what may very well be a record-breaking tenth Finals Day look - Hampshire have additionally beforehand certified for 9 - by profitable two from two at the beginning of the North Group.

Wood's fiery new-ball spell appeared to scramble the minds of Leicestershire's batters, with 9 of the ten wickets falling to catches of their first sport of the competitors. Wiaan Mulder's 25 was the one rating above 20.

When the easier-paced seam of Colin de Grandhomme was launched within the fourth over, Arron Lilley chipped to midwicket and later Colin Ackermann was bowled aiming a giant heave at a slower ball from the previous New Zealand allrounder - leaving Leicestershire 35 for 4 after seven.

Wickets continued to fall, three in 4 overs, as Leicestershire slipped deeper into hassle at 74 for 7 within the 14th. Matthew Parkinson struck along with his third ball within the eleventh when Rishi Patel tried to interrupt the shackles and miscued to Wood at long-on earlier than Mahmood had Mulder caught at deep midwicket pulling within the subsequent.

Wood then returned to get Rehan Ahmed caught behind making an attempt to uppercut a brief ball within the 14th over, the England allrounder falling for six.

That caused a battle of the Parkinson twins, Matthew and Callum, the latter making an attempt to retrieve what already seemed a misplaced trigger. Callum survived in opposition to his brother, choosing up a few singles off him on the way in which to 9. But he then fell caught behind off a high edge in opposition to Lancashire's different New Zealand allrounder Daryl Mitchell.

As the Foxes fell to 94 for 8 within the 18th over, Parkinson grew to become the fourth batter out making an attempt to tug.

Mahmood then wrapped up the innings - Leicestershire's fifth-lowest in Blast historical past - with two extra wickets caught off miscues within the nineteenth over, Pakistan debutant quick bowler Naseem Shah and Will Davis falling.

South African Mulder took the brand new ball for the Foxes and struck within the second over when Luke Wells adopted a variety of visiting batters by falling caught on the pull, leaving Lancashire at 8 for 1.

Croft and Phil Salt then shared 60 inside six overs for the second wicket, each hitting sixes. Salt was then beautifully caught at backward level by a diving Patel off Ahmed's legspin for 28, however it was nothing greater than a consolatory wicket at 68 for two within the seventh.

Mitchell later hit a six off Davis over backward square-leg to seal victory and end 25 not out.

Such is the energy of the Red Rose county's crew, captain Livingstone's contribution was restricted to captaincy alone upon his return from IPL obligation. And England limited-overs skipper Jos Buttler will likely be added to the combo in time for subsequent Thursday's Roses conflict at Headingley.