Express & Star

Cobb shines but Rapids are beaten again

Luke Wood hit the fifth ball of the last over for six to ensure that Lancashire Lightning defeated Worcestershire Rapids by two wickets in their tense Vitality Blast T20 match at Emirates Old Trafford.

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Wood’s blow over square-leg off Tom Taylor ensured the home side strengthened their hopes of a home quarter-final and enabled Lancashire to chase down the 182 runs they needed.

However, defeat was hard on Josh Cobb, who made 74 in the Rapids’ 181-4, and also on Matthew Waite, who took 3-19 in Lancashire’s innings. But Tom Bruce’s first T20 half-century for Lightning kept his side in the hunt.

“We played some good cricket and we were still in with a shout going into the last over, so to lose with a ball to spare is obviously bitterly disappointing,” said Cobb “You look back to the Northants game when Gareth Roderick could have got us over the line and then potentially me at Leicestershire and if we’d won those close ones, things look a little different.

“But that’s been the story of the season. We’ve not been winning those close games and in a competition like this, they’re the ones you have to win.”