D40 Quest: Lancashire strengthen their lead with impressive win over North Wales

North Wales: 225/8 (40 overs)

M.Weatherby 104

Jimmy Dixon 3/30

Waqass Khan 2/31

Lancashire: 228/2

Alex Buckley 92

Tom Meskell 70*

Lancashire made the trip to Abergavenny on Sunday to face North Wales in the D40 Quest League, knowing that victory would extend their lead at the top of the table.

After winning the toss, North Wales chose to bat first in an attempt to put Lancashire under pressure with a competitive total.

The hosts made a solid start, reaching 34 before Jimmy Dixon made the breakthrough, using all his experience to bowl Gaskin-Davis with a delivery that clipped the top of off stump.

Tom Meskell and Duncan-Brown quickly followed with wickets of their own as Lancashire reduced North Wales to 37/3 after 10 overs.

A superb recovery followed from Matt Weatherby and Rhodri Gaskin-Davis, who rebuilt the innings with an excellent partnership. As the pressure grew and a few chances went begging, the pair guided the hosts to 191 before Lancashire finally found the breakthrough with eight overs remaining. Alex Buckley took a well-judged catch after Tony Foster's work behind the stumps helped dismiss the outstanding Weatherby for a brilliant 104 from just 78 deliveries.

Dixon and Waqass Khan returned to claim late wickets, restricting North Wales to 225/8 from their 40 overs.

After the tea interval, Lancashire's reply got off to the perfect start. Openers Ryan Finneran and Alex Buckley attacked from the outset, taking 13 runs from both the opening over and the second, before adding another 15 in the fourth to race to 45 without loss from just 24 balls.

Buckley reached a superb half-century from only 25 deliveries as the opening pair shared a century stand in just 13.2 overs, putting Lancashire firmly in control.

Finneran was eventually dismissed after playing on, but with only one wicket down and more than 25 overs still remaining, Lancashire were well on course for victory.

Buckley and Tom Meskell continued to build the chase before Buckley departed for an outstanding 92, having produced one of his finest innings of the season.

Supported by Danny Graham, Meskell carried on his excellent form with the bat, bringing up another composed half-century before finishing the chase in style with a flurry of boundaries to seal an emphatic eight-wicket victory.

The win extends Lancashire's advantage at the top of the D40 Quest table.

Attention now turns to Sunday's home fixture against Cheshire at Longridge, before Lancashire welcome Derbyshire later this month.