T20 Blast: Birmingham beat defending champions Lancashire
Bears win rain-affected clash at Edgbaston by 18 runs
Sunday 19 June 2016 19:51, UK
Birmingham Bears got the better of Lancashire Lightning in a rain-affected game in the NatWest T20 Blast at Edgbaston, winning by 18 runs on Duckworth/Lewis.
Luke Ronchi blasted a 35-ball 53 - striking fours sixes and three fours - as the Bears posted 144-9 from their 20 overs, Sky Sports columnist Laurie Evans also chipping in with 24 off 23 balls.
Nathan Buck impressed for the visitors, taking career-best T20 figures of 4-26, but the Lightning failed to follow his efforts with a strong start with the bat.
Rikki Clarke took 2-25 - including England's Jos Buttler for a duck - as Lancashire slipped to 39-4 inside seven overs before rain arrived.
The players were unable to re-take the field, meaning Birmingham - ahead on Duckworth/Lewis - earned a fourth win in six, while defending champions Lancashire lost a fourth in seven.
There was further rain at Headingley where Yorkshire earned a one-run win over Derbyshire, too through the benefit of Duckworth/Lewis.
Derbyshire recovered from 49-4 after eight overs to set the hosts 154 to win - thanks to useful contributions from Shiv Thakor (30 off 25 balls), James Neeshan (29 off 23) and Alex Hughes (23 off 19).
In reply, David Willey (8) fell cheaply, but Adam Lyth (30 off 16) and Kane Williamson (21 off 20) steadied things.
Though they both fell within an over of eachother meaning Yorkshire's win was by a smaller margin than they'd have hoped when the rain arrived with them 67-3 after nine overs.
A full game was possible between Somerset and Hampshire at Taunton, though the visitors were unable to bat out their full 20 overs.
Hampshire were bowled out for 133 in the 19th - despite a fine 46 off 34 balls by Liam Dawson - as Jamie Overton took 4-22.
Somerset comfortably knocked off the runs in 15.4 overs with overseas stars Chris Gayle (52 off 39) and Mahela Jayawardena (45 off 32) impressing.
