Morris, Lamb lead Lancashire to another win

Lancashire Women continued their excellent form in the Metrobank One Day Cup with a 35-run victory over Durham Women at Blackpool.

Opener Emma Lamb scored 84, while five wickets for 33 runs from left-arm spinner Sophie Morris were the highlights for a jubilant Red Rose who have now won six of their eight games in the competition so far and sit second in the table. Defeat for Durham leaves them fifth.

Lamb has been in fine form so far this season and she continued her hot streak as she cruised to a half-century from 62 balls.

With 20-year-old debutant Tilly Kesteven for company, the opening pair had built a first wicket partnership of 72 when Kesteven holed out to Suzie Bates at mid-on off Mady Villiers for 17. Villers struck again when she enticed Katie Mack down the pitch with the Australian stumped for 5.

Any chance of a Lancashire wobble was quickly settled by Seren Smale who joined Lamb in taking the score serenely to 142 before the third wicket fell when the Lamb was bowled by Katy Levick.

Skipper Ellie Threlkeld edged Grace Thompson for 12 with Sophie Ecclestone doing the same soon after for 2 but when Smale was brilliantly caught on the boundary by Thompson for 37 off Villiers, the hosts had the platform at 192 for 6 with ten overs remaining.

Cameos from Kate Cross (24) and Tara Norris (15) gave the innings impetus with Phoebe Turner able to pick up some cheap wickets to finish with 3 for 41 as Lancashire were bowled out for 239 with two balls of the last over remaining.

Durham had been wasteful with their extras, conceding 30 wides, and they were immediately shown the advantages of bowling straight by Mahika Gaur whose excellent first over accounted for Emma Marlow without scoring.

But with Bates and skipper Hollie Armitage at the crease, Durham could still look at the target without trepidation and the second-wicket pair cruised their way to a 50 partnership.

An excellent steepling catch from Cross off Grace Potts eventually accounted for Armitage for 47 and when Villiers departed for 4, caught by Ecclestone off Morris, quickly followed by Mia Rogers, caught by Lamb to give Morris another wicket, the game was back in the balance at 90 for 4.

Ecclestone against Bates looked like the key contest and the England slow left armer looked to have the ball on a string as the Australian and fellow batter, Heath, survived numerous leg-before appeals to take the score to 155 when Heath mistimed a drive off Gaur to Cross for 45.

Morris struck again to bowl Bates for 63 with one which kept low and suddenly Lancashire were favourites again with Durham on 170 for 6 and still requiring 71 runs for victory.

While most were looking to Ecclestone to make the inroads, it was Morris who stole the spotlight, and she claimed her fourth victim with a caught-and-bowled to dismiss Katherine Fraser for one before snaring her first five-wicket haul in List A cricket when she bowled Phoebe Turner for 13.

Cross returned to take the last wicket as Mack juggled a catch on the boundary to leave Durham all out for 204.