Royal London One-Day Cup: Jeevan Mendis’ cameo helps Derbyshire to win

Jeevan Mendis’ excellent cameo right at the death helped Derbyshire seal a thrilling four-wicket victory over Warwickshire in their North Group Royal London One-Day Cup match played at Derby on Wednesday.

Mendis arrived at the crease with his side needing 58 off 39 deliveries with five wickets in hand while chasing 293. He then blasted 44 off just 23 balls as Derbyshire crossed the line with just two balls left in the chase. Openers Ben Slater and Billy Godleman set up the win with an 86-run partnership for the first wicket with the former going on to score 82.

In another match Gary Ballance smashed a 118-ball 152 before an all-round effort from the Yorkshire bowlers helped the visitors rise to the top of the North Group points table at Northampton. Asked to bat first, Yorkshire had a shaky start, that saw Adam Lyth (2), Joe Root (7) and Peter Handscomb (9) fall cheaply. Jonny Bairstow too didn’t convert a good start, leaving Yorkshire on 73 for 4 in the 18th over. Ballance and Matthew Waite (43) added 105 runs off 121 balls, before the late flourish took the team to 300. Ballance, who smashed 19 fours and 3 sixes in his innings, added 121 runs in the last 12 overs with Adil Rashid (41 n.o. off 35 balls). In reply, Northamptonshire were bundled out for 136 in the 29th over. With this defeat, Northamptonshire are out of the tournament. An excellent century by Dane Vilas coupled with an all-round effort by Jordan Clark helped Lancashire register a thumping win over Worcestershire by 152 runs at Old Trafford in Manchester. Even though Lancashire lost half their side in the 32nd over while batting first, Vilas and Clark added 160 off just 113 balls with the former reaching a ton off 83 balls. Clark also remained unbeaten at the other end on 79 as Lancashire went past the 300-run mark.

Chris Liddle’s magnificent spell in the middle overs helped Gloucestershire pull things back and register a narrow 11-run win over Kent at Bristol. At one stage Kent were cruising at 200 for 2 while chasing 276 but Liddle, who had already remove Joe Denly, managed to get rid of Daniel Bell-Drummond for 90. The hosts seized upon that opportunity to strike at regular intervals to completely overturn the momentum. Liddle went on to finish with a five-wicket haul.

Glamorgan wasted a fine start to eventually wilt in their run chase and lose by 16 runs to Middlesex in Radlett.

Rilee Rossouw’s blistering ton helped Hampshire make light work of the 250-run target set by Somerset. Rossouw lit up Taunton with an 113-ball 156 that consisted of 24 fours and two sixes. Even though wickets kept falling at the other end, Rossouw ensured that Hampshire kept pace with the asking rate. Eventually, they won with 76 balls to spare.

Sussex’s decision to bowl first worked wonders when Jerome Taylor stunned Essex with a hat-trick in the fifth over of the game. Varun Chopra, Tom Westley and Adam Wheater fell off consecutive deliveries to leave Sussex in a spot of bother but the seasoned Alastair Cook brought his expertise into play with a masterful ton. Cook’s 109 included 12 fours and Ten Doeschate’s 91-ball 102 ensured that his side finished with 295 for 7 – a total that seemed impossible when Essex were tottering at 19 for 3 in the fifth over.