Pat Brown’s List A best is more than enough for Derbyshire

The Metro Bank One-Day Cup encounter in Derby saw Derbyshire demolish Lancashire by nine wickets, with Pat Brown recording his best one-day statistics.

Brown bowled the visitors out for 99 in 20 overs after taking 5 for 37 in six overs, with two wickets each from Zak Chappell and Harry Moore.

With just three players scoring in double figures, including Andrew Flintoff’s 16-year-old son Rocky, Lancashire’s biggest score came from extras, when they scored 19.

With Luis Reece scoring 52 runs without conceding an end, Derbyshire easily achieved their aim of 100 for 1, boosting their chances of qualifying for the knockout stages. Meanwhile, Lancashire suffered their third loss in Group A.

After losing three wickets in the first seven overs, Lancashire could never recover from Derbyshire’s speed assault.

After Chappell hit two in his fourth over, Sam Conners trapped Harry Singh leg before wicket, leaving the visitors on 27 for 3.

One came back to clip the top of off stump, defeating Josh Bohannon, and George Bell was leg before wicket halfway forward to a full ball for eighteen.

In the ninth over, Flintoff attempted to take a short ball from Chappell but was struck in the helmet after playing one contemptuous pull to the ropes.

Though he managed to bat on, Lancashire lost two wickets in Pat Brown opening over when he was hit by another short delivery.

After two spectacular drives for four off Moore to start his debut, Indian all-rounder Venkatesh Iyer trapped Brown in deep mid-wicket.

It was a terrible decision, considering Lancashire’s status, and Flintoff fell into the same trap when he skied another short ball from Brown, bringing his side down to 55 for 5.

Chris Green missed a huge drive at Moore as the procession carried on, and Tom Aspinwall was caught behind by Brown, who in his next over bowled Jack Blatherwick with a full delivery.

Brown bowled Charlie Barnard to finish the demolition after Moore had George Balderson caught behind.

With two sixes off Blatherwick in the fourth over, Reece put Derbyshire’s triumph into high gear. It was now just a matter of time.

On Saturday, Reece and Harry Came opened the innings together with a double century, but this time, they were separated in the eighth over when Singh sent Came back with a deft one-handed catch at second slip from Blatherwick.

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On a punishing day, though, Lancashire had little more to cheer about as Reece and Brooke Guest, who combined for an undefeated 37, added 65 to cap off an outstanding Derbyshire performance.