Lancashire were not supposed to win this match. The majority of a 16,199 sell-out crowd had come to watch Yorkshire’s seven internationals sparkle, including their blue-eyed boy Joe Root, and from the first ball it looked like they would get their wish, as Glenn Maxwell reverse swept Steven Croft’s off-spin over cover for six. Unfortunately for them, they were treated to a Jos Buttler masterclass in a last-ball thriller.
It was clear that, with so much depth in Yorkshire’s batting order, Jason Gillespie had given Maxwell licence to thrill with a shot a ball, and the coach did not have to ask twice. A further three boundaries, including another reverse sweep, gained 18 off the first over and the Vikings were on their way to a total which they will defend more often than not.
But the Lightning had other ideas, courtesy of Buttler’s blistering 71 off 35 balls with five fours and five sixes, which was one short of a career best.
At its worst the visitors’ target was 98 off the last eight overs with eight wickets in hand, but Buttler exploded to help them score 45 off the last three overs, 32 off the last two and 17 off the last, bowled by Tim Bresnan.
His 28-ball fifty was his second in a week on this ground after Tuesday’s for England in a losing cause against New Zealand. He hit 29 of the last 32 runs required, including a single off the last ball as Maxwell managed to miss the stumps at the non-striker’s end from his position at short mid-wicket.
“Seventeen off the last, as soon as I hit the first ball of that over [for six], I knew we were going to win. I didn’t feel any pressure, I was immersed in the game. All the pressure is on the bowler, playing in front of their home crowd, 16,000 people are expecting them to win,” said Buttler.
Lancashire fought hard all the way through, including attempting to repair the early Maxwell damage as Alex Davies, who relinquished the gloves for Buttler, took a steepler running back from mid-off to get rid of the Australian in the second over for 18 from nine balls. James Faulkner then yorked Andrew Gale, leaving Yorkshire at 25 for two.
Root was determined not to waste Maxwell’s work, however. He shared 40 in five overs for the third wicket with Jonny Bairstow and 63 inside seven for the fourth with his England colleague Gary Ballance, whose 31 off 18 deliveries included three sixes off three balls against Tom Bailey and Stephen Parry.
It came as part of an 11-ball spell which went for 34 in the 12th to the 14th overs as Root hit three successive fours off Arron Lilley’s off-spin, reaching his half century off 35 balls. The England batsman miscued a slower ball from Faulkner to mid-off shortly afterwards.
Lancashire’s side is much changed from the one that reached last season’s final and lost to Warwickshire by four runs. They are missing club captain Tom Smith, out injured with a back problem since the first week of the summer, retired Kabir Ali, Pakistan seamer Junaid Khan and Andrew Flintoff.
So this heist was particularly impressive. Their reply stalled from 82 for two in the 11th, courtesy of some tight bowling, particularly Maxwell’s off-spin, but Buttler turned it around to warm up for next week’s New Zealand one-day series in staggering fashion.
“It is nice I can go to Edgbaston on Tuesday knowing I won’t get any stick from Joe in the changing room,” he added.
