Clark spearheads Lancashire's dash for the line

Lancashire 77 for 1 (Clark 31*) beat Leicestershire 131 for 3 (Cosgrove 66*) by nine wickets (D/L method)
Scorecard

Jordan Clark smashed an unbeaten 31 off 12 balls as Lancashire's stuttering start to the defence of their Natwest T20 blast title got back on track with a rain-affected victory over Leicestershire at a sodden Old Trafford.

Clark and Jos Buttler hit 35 runs off 11 balls to clinch the game with five deliveries to spare, after Lancashire were set a revised Duckworth Lewis target of 74 to win off seven overs in reply to Leicetershire's 131 for 3 off 14 overs.

Leicestershire openers Mark Cosgrove and Mark Pettini had initially put on 63 for the first wicket in just 6.5 overs after being put into bat by Steven Croft whose Lancashire side struggled with a wet ball and a soaking out field.

On a humid night in Manchester, a heavy shower just as the players took the field caused a delay of 75 minutes before Cosgrove and Pettini took an instant liking for Neil Wagner's bowling with the New Zealander going for 40 runs off his three overs.

Pettini was the first to fall for 23 when he managed to scoop a delivery from Arron Lilley onto his helmet with Buttler diving athletically to catch the rebound.

Umar Akmal joined Cosgrove at the crease and the Pakistani hit a quick fire 17 off 15 balls including a huge six off Lilley before he was bowled by Croft.

Cosgrove, who finished unbeaten on 63, continued to lead a charmed life and he took full advantage of dropped catches by Croft, Karl Brown and Wagner to help take Leicestershire to a competitive total with Cameron Delport also unbeaten on six after Kevin O'Brien was caught in the deep by Lilley off Jordan Clark for 12.

Only eight balls of the Lancashire reply were possible before the rain came again with the score 11 without loss and a further delay left the hosts requiring 63 more runs off 5.4 overs.

Clark smashed Ben Raine's first ball after the resumption for six and together with Alviro Petersen the opening pair put on 42 off 4.2 overs before the South African slapped a square cut straight to Tom Wells at point for 23.

Two boundaries from Buttler left Lancashire requiring 23 to win off 12 balls before 20 runs off Clint McKay's penultimate over saw the home side reach the target with five balls to spare as Clark hoisted a huge six over square leg to win the game and register Lancashire's second win of the competition.