Dane Vilas scored his second century in the One Day Cup against Durham, but it wasn’t enough for Lancashire to make the knockout stages.
Vilas’ innings of 108 off 88 balls (12 fours, one six) helped the home side post an imposing score of 304 in their 50 overs. In reply, Durham could only muster 276-9 as they slumped to a 28-run defeat.
Though Lancashire had secured their fourth win of the competition and drawn level on points with Nottinghamshire, they were not assured of a playoff place. In order for Lancashire to advance to the next stage, Nottinghamshire needed to lose their final group stage match away to Northants. Rain, however, dashed Lancashire’s hopes, as a ‘no result’ meant that Nottinghamshire picked up the single point required to progress.
On a rain-affected final day of group-stage matches, all but one match was washed out. Essex beat Kent by 57 runs on D/L-method to top the South group on 14 points, three clear of Somerset.
Heading into the knockout stages, Worcestershire and Essex advance to the semi-finals after topping the North and South groups respectively. Having taken ten wickets in the group stages at an economy rate of 5.26, South Africa’s Simon Harmer could play a vital role in his team’s bid to secure a final berth.
The remaining four teams which have qualified for the playoffs, will play for a place in the semi-finals. These matches will see the side finishing second in the North group play the third-placed South Group side, while the second-placed South team will play the third-placed North team.
Somerset will rely on the South African duo of Dean Elgar and Roelof van der Merwe to book a semi-final spot. Elgar has had a sensational One Day Cup campaign thus far. He is the side’s leading run-scorer, with 428 runs highlighted by a century and four half-centuries, at an astonishing average of 107.00.
Van der Merwe, meanwhile, has scored 237 runs including his best limited-overs score of 165 not out against Surrey. The match also saw a mammoth 213 runs added by the pair.
Photo: Stu Forster/Getty Images
