Saqib Mahmood claimed a hat-trick before Phil Salt and Jos Buttler marked their Lancashire returns with fifties in a five-wicket win over Northamptonshire in the Vitality Blast.
Northamptonshire lost their last four wickets in four balls to be all out for 177 as Saif Zaib’s run-out was followed by Mahmood bowling Ben Sanderson and Lloyd Pope before George Scrimshaw holed out.
Mahmood finished with four for 49 while James Anderson claimed two wickets before Salt and Buttler, making their first appearances for a star-studded Red Rose line-up this year, put on 123 together.
The Saq-Trick! 🔥😍
— Lancashire Lightning (@lancscricket) July 4, 2025
⚡️ #StrikeTogether https://t.co/S9SgUjmnpv pic.twitter.com/XTjtrWHeeW
Salt, who missed England’s T20 series win over the West Indies because of paternity leave, amassed 80 off 57 balls while former England limited-overs captain Buttler contributed 54 off 42 deliveries.
Lancashire had a brief wobble but Liam Livingstone’s cameo 19 off nine balls was followed by Luke Wells hitting a couple of sixes to secure victory with three deliveries to spare at Wantage Road.
Lancashire moved up to second in the North Group, level on points with Northamptonshire and leaders Durham, who claimed an impressive 49-run win over Nottinghamshire at the Banks Homes Riverside.
Colin Ackermann’s 83 plus captain Alex Lees’ 77 underscored Durham’s 231 for five and Nottinghamshire were all out for 182, with Kasey Aldridge, who had just one wicket in nine T20s, bagging five for 29.
William Luxton made 81 and James Wharton 88 after former England stars Jonny Bairstow and Dawid Malan were dismissed for single figures as Yorkshire beat Worcestershire by 41 runs at Headingley.
ALDRIDGE HAS FIVE!!! 🖐️
— Durham Cricket (@DurhamCricket) July 4, 2025
AND IT’S A TEAM HATTRICK TO SEAL THE WIN!! 💪#ForTheNorth pic.twitter.com/GrZUMETHj7
Will O’Rourke’s five for 22 blunted Worcestershire’s hopes of overhauling the White Rose with Ben Dwarshuis ‘ 42 not out off 17 balls arriving too little, too late.
Hasan Ali’s four for 22 led to Leicestershire being skittled for 154 and Dan Mousley’s unbeaten 64 lifted Birmingham Bears to a six-wicket win, secured with 10 balls to spare at Grace Road.
Ned Leonard claimed a career-best five for 25 as Glamorgan edged out South Group leaders Somerset by two runs at Taunton. Will Smeed’s 72 off 49 balls was in vain for Somerset.
Danny Lamb also bagged a maiden five-wicket haul in T20s to help Sussex beat Kent by 31 runs. Sussex posted 195 for nine before Lamb’s five for 15 led to Kent collapsing to 161 all out.
Ben Charlesworth struck 47 not out and claimed a couple of wickets as Gloucestershire, having posted 184 for seven, defeated Essex by 13 runs at Chelmsford, with the hosts all out for 171.
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