Livingstone best sets up Lancashire

Lancashire revived their Royal London Cup campaign with an impressive all-round display that sealed a 27-run North Group victory over Derbyshire at the 3aaa County Ground.

Chasing 282, Derbyshire were well placed through Billy Godleman's 91 from 98 balls and Hamish Rutherford's 47 but they collapsed from 177 for 2 to 254 for 9 with Kyle Jarvis taking 4 for 31.

Liam Livingstone's one-day career best 98 from 98 balls and Steven Croft's 68 from 75 balls took Lancashire to 281 for 8, which they then defended with accurate bowling and tigerish fielding to deal a blow to Derbyshire's quarter-final hopes.

Lancashire struggled on a sluggish pitch after electing to bat, scoring only 34 in the first 10 overs with Alviro Petersen dismissed cheaply by Ben Cotton. The South African was lbw playing across the line at the fast bowler, whose disciplined opening spell also brought him the wicket of Karl Brown, leg before half-forward to one that nipped back.

Livingstone gave the innings momentum by cutting consecutive balls from Shiv Thakor for four before edging the seamer to the third man boundary but Tom Smith never got going and was run out by Alex Hughes's throw from mid-on in the 19th over.

At the halfway stage of their innings, Lancashire were 101 for 3 but Livingstone and Croft began to accelerate with Livingstone driving Thakor over long-off for six to reach 50 from 54 balls.

Croft pulled Matt Critchley for six and in the 29th over the Falcons had to replace wicketkeeper Harvey Hosein who went to hospital for an X-ray which showed a fracture to his left thumb with Wayne Madsen taking over. But Derbyshire's immediate concern was restricting the flow of runs which increased as Croft and Livingstone both dispatched Critchley for sixes in the 33rd over while Cotton was clipped over the midwicket boundary by Livingstone when he returned at the City End.

Croft pulled Tony Palladino for another maximum and the game was threatening to run away from Derbyshire when Livingstone tried to turn Hughes through midwicket and was lbw.

Croft failed to clear deep square leg in the 44th over but Luke Proctor and Jordan Clark added 49 in five overs to post a competitive total which Godleman put a dent in by taking three fours from Saqib Mahmood's second over.

Jarvis bowled Ben Slater but Godleman and Rutherford played patiently against some tight bowling before Godleman twice straight drove Clark for six on his way to a 49 balls 50. The pair were starting to assert themselves when Rutherford sliced Stephen Parry to backward point but Godleman was the key and he drove Smith for consecutive fours as Derbyshire went into the last 20 overs needing 139.

Livingstone took a superb catch at deep midwicket to remove Madsen with the score on 177 and Lancashire struck another blow five balls later when Godleman came down the pitch and was bowled by Croft.

With 84 needed from 10 overs Jarvis returned to bowl Thakor and after Wes Durston missed a drive at Clark, sustained bowling and a climbing run rate proved too much for Derbyshire.