Friday 23 May 2014 23:40, UK
David Willey's explosive 95 off just 45 balls lifted Northamptonshire to a two-wicket win over Leicestershire in their rain-reduced T20 Blast encounter at Wantage Road.
Willey is fast gaining a reputation as one of the hottest properties in the shortest format and his bombastic innings on Friday helped the defending champions edge to their second victory from two games in a match that was reduced to 18 overs per side due to rain.
Half-centuries from Josh Cobb and Greg Smith helped Leicestershire to 176-4 after they were invited to bat, but Willey laid the platform for the lower order to edge over the line with two balls to spare.
Worcestershire secured their first T20 Blast victory of the season after Nottinghamshire's lower order collapsed in a 24-run defeat at Trent Bridge.
At 105-3 after 14 overs, Notts appeared to be on course to overhaul Worcestershire's total of 163-6 amid a strong start to their reply.
Opener Alex Hales blasted 39 and Samit Patel 41, but once the top five wickets had fallen their resistance was over.
Chris Russell did the damage late on by removing Steven Mullaney and Sam Wood for nought before accounting for Ajmal Shahzad for just two runs to finish with 3-32.
Luke Fletcher and Andy Carter were the last men standing but by the time they arrived at the crease, Notts were already beaten in their first defeat of the season in two matches.
Worcestershire posted 163 from their 20 overs with their momentum hit by the steady fall of wickets.
Karl Brown and Steven Croft fired Lancashire to their second Natwest T20 Blast win of the season with a blistering unbeaten partnership of 131 in Derby.
Derbyshire had the Red Rose reeling on 38-3, but Brown and Croft then got to work and steered them to a final total of 169, which was enough to secure a 20-run victory as the hosts fell short on 149-5.
The meeting between Birmingham Bears and Yorkshire at Edgbaston was abandoned without a ball bowled following inclement weather.
Rain earlier in the day delayed the evening encounter and the saturated outfield was unable to recover.
The game, originally scheduled to begin at 7pm, could have started as late as 8.58pm but a decision was made to abandon after an inspection at 7.45pm.
