Livingstone, Stanley Star Against Yorkshire

Yorkshire fell to 43 for 3 in the fifth over of their chase and was unable to recover after Liam Livingstone hit 60 off 39 balls in Lightning’s 216 for 6. Root then top-edged a pull at Anderson to short fine leg.

With a decisive 22-run Roses victory over Yorkshire at Emirates Old Trafford, James Anderson dismissed former England teammate Joe Root for four as Lancashire maintained their hopes of qualifying for the Vitality Blast quarterfinals.

The battle now moves to Sunday’s final day after Lancashire’s fifth victory in 11 games, this time defending a 217-target. Yorkshire, in second place, will have to wait to secure their advancement because they were only able to post 194 for 8. Mitch Stanley of the England Lions made an impression with a career-high 4 for 30.

Lancashire needs to defeat Durham here and hope, while Yorkshire might qualify even if they lose to Nottinghamshire, the winners of the North Group, at Headingley on Sunday.

Ben McDermott and Livingstone, who struck his fourth fifty of the campaign, helped Lancashire reach 70 for 1 after six overs despite Dan Moriarty conceding just one and having Keaton Jennings caught at point in the second over.

Before Livingstone scored a fifty off 28 balls in the following over, McDermott was caught at deep square-leg off Jafer Chohan for 46, 89 for 2, in the ninth over.

After hitting Chohan for consecutive sixes, Matty Hurst and Livingstone were dismissed by Dutch seamer Logan van Beek in the thirteenth, leaving Lancashire at 129 for 4. Jonny Bairstow skilfully caught Livingstone behind when he attempted an uppercut.

Due to a hand injury sustained by Faheem Ashraf, Overseas van Beek missed his first game of the season.

Lancashire finished well thanks to Shadab Khan’s 38 from 20 balls. He struck two leg-side sixes off Hasan Ali, another Pakistani.

Although Bairstow did not start the White Rose’s batting, Will Luxton, who took his place, smashed Anderson for six over long-on, with 13 coming from the chase’s opening over. He was short-lived, though, as he bowled attacking Stanley in the second.

Before Anderson got Root, Stanley also caught Adam Lyth behind with a short ball. Before Moeen Ali was caught one-handed above his head at midwicket by Jennings off Shadab’s legspin, Stanley had Bairstow caught at cover following an error.

Yorkshire were almost eliminated at 47 for 5 after 6.1 overs as the Lightning exacted revenge for their earlier competition loss at Headingley.

Yorkshire’s situation was resolved by Matthew Revis and van Beek, who also protected their net run-rate, which may be relevant on Sunday. Before slicing a catch off Jack Blatherwick to third, where a diving Joe Moores held on admirably, Van Beek played wonderfully for 40 to add to his earlier three wickets.

AJ Tye added 29 not out off 14 and struck three sixes off one Blatherwick over, while Revis overtook him for 52 off 38. But they were attempts at consolation. Stanley struck again to trap Hasan in the deep while defending 37 off the final over.