Graeme White spun Northamptonshire’s Royal London Cup campaign into gear with a career-best six-wicket haul as Lancashire were comfortably beaten by 76 runs at Wantage Road.

Lancashire began their chase of 287, but Northamptonshire’s quartet of spinners all caused problems from early on and White led the attack, enjoying turn and bounce to take 6 for 37 - the sixth-best return by a Northants bowler in List A cricket.

He began by bowling Tom Smith, missing having skipped down the pitch, and then having Karl Brown caught at mid-on. Brown got Lancashire’s chase off to a fine start with a half-century in 46 balls and 13 fours but two balls after raising fifty, picked out Josh Cobb to fall for 51. 

It prompted a slump from 86 for 2 to 98 for 5 as Jos Buttler fell for just 2 - bowled by Seekkuge Prasanna - and Liam Livingstone stumped after skipping down the wicket against White. When Steven Croft was soon run out attempting a single that was never available, Lancashire had carelessly subsided to 124 for 6 and were sliding out of the game.

Luke Procter got the chase moving again in a stand of 54 for the seventh wicket with Jordan Clark. But with the required rate edging towards eight-an-over, Clark took a chance against White, came down the pitch, swung and missed and was stumped for 17. White’s five-for was completed with a beauty that turned past the outside edge into Stephen Parry’s off stump and when Nathan Buck took a big swing and missed, White had a career-best.

On a good batting wicket that yielded plenty of runs in the two T20s previously played on it, Northamptonshire’s 287-8 appeared only a par score. They struggled early on, slumping to 37 for 3 before a fine recovery from Ben Duckett and Rob Keogh. Ben shared a stand worth 125 in 25.1 overs for the fourth wicket with Rob Keogh, who went past his own fifty - his first of the season - in 62 balls with four fours. He timed the ball very well throughout but fell in Buck’s first over back into the attack, trying to lift a drive down the ground and only hoisting it to cover.

Our next Royal London Cup match is on Sunday the 12th June against the Leicestershire Foxes. Tickets can be purchased here:

https://northantscrickettickets.com/