Evans, Roy set Surrey platform before Jordan holds off Lancashire

Surrey 187 for five (Evans 70, Roy 50) beat Lancashire 174 for six (Croft 55, Jordan 2-28) by 13 runs

Inaugural T20 champions Surrey are via to Finals Day every week on Saturday having nearly defended a goal of 188 to win a high-scoring thriller towards Lancashire by 13 runs at Emirates Outdated Trafford.

The 2003 winners inflicted a primary dwelling T20 defeat upon the Lightning in 22 video games relationship again to late 2020, and so they did it because the hosts slipped from 124 for two within the 14th over of their chase to complete on 174 for six.

At 119 for two after 13 overs, 200 was doubtless for Surrey. Nonetheless, Lancashire squeezed properly, and wicketless Luke Wells conceded solely 26 from 4 overs of legspin.

Sunil Narine solely going through two balls from No. 7 and fellow abroad bowler Abbott not batting in any respect for Surrey was a shock. The latter, for instance, crashed a 34-ball century earlier within the competitors.

Evans hit three sixes as 58 for one got here off the powerplay, two of them scooped over fine-leg in the identical over from two-wicket seamer Tom Bailey and the opposite smashed over midwicket. Evans reached his fifty off 28 balls shortly afterwards and helped his aspect to 93 for 1 after 10 overs, by which stage Roy was settling.

Phil Salt and Croft each let boundaries slip via their legs within the outfield, although the latter mockingly led to the wicket of Evans, who was bowled by Liam Livingstone because the rating fell to 104 for two within the twelfth over. Had Croft not misfielded, it could have solely been one and Roy on strike.

Roy pulled Livingstone for an enormous six on the way in which to a 33-ball fifty. However he fell to a sensible catch from Croft at cowl off Luke Wooden, with Surrey 140 for 3 after 15 overs.

Regardless of their floor fielding been sketchy – Surrey’s was worse – Lancashire caught properly. Dane Vilas took an outstanding low catch at long-off to assist Bailey take away Sam Curran late on.

Buttler began Lancashire’s pursuit by lofting his second ball for six over long-on off Will Jacks’ offspin, and so they received going properly at 31 with out loss after three overs.

Salt holed out to mid-off towards Abbott as Lancashire, like Surrey had carried out, reached 50 for one after 5 overs. Salt’s wicket introduced Croft to the crease, and he hit 4 of his first 10 balls to the boundary, outshining Buttler.

Having that mentioned, the England captain then launched Narine’s first two balls for six over long-on to blow that idea to items, extra importantly taking Lightning to 69 for 1 within the seventh over.

That grew to become 94 for 1 after 10 with Buttler 41. That Buttler solely added yet another run earlier than slicing Dan Moriarty’s left-arm spin to gully – 97 for two within the eleventh over – boosted Surrey’s possibilities of a revival. And it proved an enormous second.

Having shared 62 with Buttler, Croft remained however Jordan led a squeeze within the price simply as the house bowlers had carried out earlier. Narine had Livingstone miscuing cheaply to deep midwicket, and Lancashire wanted 64 off six overs at 124 for 3.

Croft reached 50 off 32 balls shortly afterwards and whereas Daryl Mitchell was dropped on 4 within the deep, the goal grew to become 47 off 4 overs and later 29 off two.

Jordan yorked Croft and had Vilas caught at long-leg within the penultimate, additionally working out Wells – 168 for six – leaving Abbott with room for manoeuvre. He completed with 1 for 22 from 4 overs.