Kervezee century in vain

Kervezee: County-best 111

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Alexei Kervezee struck a century in vain as his Worcestershire side went down to Lancashire in the Clydesdale Bank 40 in Liverpool.

Kervezee's 111 - his biggest score for the club - inspired the Royals to a total of 258 for six with Lancashire spinner Gary Keedy pegging them back with four for 41.

However, Steven Croft and then Luke Proctor struck half-centuries as the latter shared in a crucial sixth-wicket partnership of 62 inside 11 overs with debutant Jordan Clark as they got home with five balls to spare.

Left-hander Procter top scored with 64 not out off 59 balls, including six fours and a six, to go alongside Steven Croft's 60 off 35 balls.

Imran Arif removed Paul Horton in the second over of the Lightning chase but Croft and Karl Brown (41) shared 89 in 11 overs for the second wicket.

Croft hit 10 fours and a pulled six but he was one of three quick wickets to fall to take the score from 101 for one in the 13th over to 120 for four in the 18th.

He holed out to Jack Shantry off the left arm spin of Bangladeshi Shakib (2-40), who also trapped Mark Chilton lbw.

Brown then reverse swept Moeen Ali's off spin to Shantry at short third man.

Gareth Cross (28) and Procter then steadied the Lancashire ship somewhat with a 49-run partnership in eight overs for the fifth wicket before the former was caught in the deep off Moeen (2-29) trying to hit his third six.

Procter and Clark (32) then united before the former was key in clinching two points that were in the balance with 19 needed off two overs.

A huge six from Procter over long on off the bowling of Shantry was a telling blow.

Earlier, 20-year-old Kervezee hit 11 fours in his 101-ball knock and was at his strongest making room to hit through and over the cover region.

But, having been 172 for three after 30 overs with Kervezee at the crease, the Royals could feasibly have posted 20 or so more than they did.

Nobody else managed to better Daryl Mitchell's boundary-less 40 off 54 balls although Vikram Solanki and James Cameron made valuable contributions in the twenties.

Kervezee and Mitchell shared 96 for the fourth wicket inside 29 overs. Keedy had Solanki stumped, Shakib Al Hasan caught at mid off, he bowled Mitchell and had Kervezee caught at long off.