Anderson stars but Northants stay unbeaten in Blast

James Anderson delivered a second three-wicket haul of his T20 Blast return for Lancashire but it was not enough to stop Northants Steelbacks making it five wins from five to tighten their grip on the top of North Group.

The veteran seamer’s 3-31 at a blustery Old Trafford backed up his 3-17 against Durham at Chester-le-Street.

But the 42-year-old’s sterling efforts could not prevent the Steelbacks totalling 180-6 before restricting Lancashire to 156-9 in reply.

Liam Livingstone’s return to Lightning colours following his Indian Premier League (IPL) victory with Royal Challengers Bangalore saw him take 2-35 and add 18 with the bat as Northants always had the game under their control.

George Scrimshaw was the pick of their bowlers with an impressive 4-19.

Yorkshire climbed off the bottom of the North Group table after posting a first victory of their T20 Blast campaign, beating Leicestershire Foxes by a thumping margin of 106 runs.

Dawid Malan (88 from 48 balls) and Will Luxton (62 from 34) put on 132 for the second wicket and, despite a mini-collapse which saw five wickets go for 31 runs, Yorkshire posted a towering total of 213-7 in their 20 overs.

Former England batter Malan passed 10,000 T20 runs in the process.

The Foxes were never really in the hunt with spin doing the damage, Jafer Chohan taking 4-27 and Dom Bess 2-25.

Derbyshire remain without a win after Bears inflicted a fourth defeat, winning by 58 runs at Edgbaston with Hassan Ali taking 6-23 including a hat-trick.

A half-century from New Zealand opener Tom Latham (58 from 42 balls) helped put Bears in a commanding position at the halfway mark after posting 199-6.

Fynn Hudson-Prentice marked his Derbyshire return with a wicket after signing a four-match loan deal from Sussex and Pat Brown was the pick with the ball for the visitors with 3-40.

But both ended on the losing side as a chase of 200 proved beyond them after a disastrous start which saw them 1-2 after the first seven deliveries and they were bowled out for 141.

England opener Zak Crawley starred as Hampshire Hawks had their winning streak brought to an abrupt halt at the hands of Kent Spitfires who chased down a target of 178 to win by eight wickets.

Tom Rogers (3-33) gave Kent a lightning start with the ball helping to reduce Hampshire to 29-3 but Joe Weatherley’s 63 from 46 balls and contributions lower down the order from Dewald Brevis (24), James Fuller (27) and Benny Howell (23) helped the visitors to 177-7.

But after Daniel Bell-Drummond (61) and Kent skipper Crawley (75 not out from 43 balls) shared a superb 110-run partnership for the second wicket, those defences were never enough.

Tom Helm continued his remarkably consistent Blast campaign as Middlesex finally got their South Group campaign off the ground with a six-wicket win over Essex at Chelmsford.

The Middlesex seamer posted 4-32 from his four overs as the home side were restricted to 156-9, Simon Harmer’s 28-ball 41 lifting them after a disappointing batting display.

Helm’s contribution followed up his 3-29 and 3-29 in his previous two games against Kent and Glamorgan.

The result was never in much doubt after Middlesex skipper Stephen Eskinazi (72) and Kane Williamson (31) put on 97 for the first wicket.

At Hove James Coles continued his outstanding form with the bat and Nathan McAndrew dismantled Glamorgan with the ball as Sussex Sharks downed the Welsh side.

Coles is averaging 98 in the Blast after four innings and his innings of 75 not out was the high point of an excellent display from the hosts with the bat.

Tom Alsop also reached a half-century in 27 balls with five sixes as Sussex posted 195-4.

McAndrew then set about Glamorgan with the ball taking 5-19 in his four overs as Sussex won by 78 runs.

Victory was secured with two wickets in two balls for Tymal Mills as the Sussex captain became the fifth player to reach 300 T20 wickets.

North Group

Riverside: Durham v Derbyshire Falcons

Northampton: Northamptonshire Steelbacks v Bears

Trent Bridge: Notts Outlaws v Yorkshire