IT IS eight long years since Lancashire last reached a final at Lord’s, but in winning their first two C & G Trophy matches, they have taken the first steps towards a long-awaited return to headquarters.

Painful memories of their last-over semi-final defeat at New Road in this competition in 2003 will have been soothed by the manner of this victory, which could hardly have been more emphatic. In prevailing by such a wide margin, Lancashire played not just superior cricket but also out-thought Worcestershire tactically.

Having lost an important toss and been obliged to bat first in difficult conditions, Lancashire were unfazed by their slow start, instead ensuring that they had wickets in hand at the death. As many as 76 were hijacked off the last seven overs, propelling Lancashire to a total of 248, which was a very big one on this pitch.

Worcestershire, by contrast, paid the penalty for a lack of positive intent in the middle of Lancashire’s innings. They employed 18 overs of spin to keep things tight, pushing the field back when they could have pressed instead for wickets with their pace bowlers. They had an opportunity to seize the moment but declined to take it.

May Day began brightly at a sunny New Road where a well-grassed pitch was unveiled. There was plenty of early seam movement for Zaheer Khan and Kabir Ali, but they failed fully to exploit it. Not until the fourteenth over did Roger Sillence make the breakthrough.

Mal Loye held the bowlers at bay with considerable skill, using all his experience to chisel out 64 off 84 balls. Zaheer became the latest international bowler he has swept for six, now a trademark one-day shot for the former Northamptonshire batsman. In trying to slog-sweep Daryl Mitchell’s gentle medium pace, Loye eventually perished to a fine one-handed diving catch at mid-wicket by Graeme Hick.

That brought Stuart Law to the wicket in what was the 29th over to play the decisive innings of the match. Knocking the ball around cleverly, he reached a 51-ball fifty that contained only four fours but in the closing overs he carted his last 20 runs off only 11 balls, hitting a disappointing Ali for six. Vital support came from Kyle Hogg (24 off 14 balls) as 55 were accumulated from the final five overs.

Hogg then produced an excellent opening spell of 8-1-18-1, which put Worcestershire under immediate pressure. Sajid Mahmood bowled well at the other end, castling Mitchell, and when Hogg had Vikram Solanki caught at second slip in the fifteenth over, only 38 were on the board.

Glen Chapple tightened the straitjacket in which Worcestershire found themselves with a good spell and by the time Gary Keedy came on, risks had to be taken. Ben Smith ran down the wicket and was stumped. When, soon after, Tom Smith’s well-directed cutters brought him three wickets in one over, the 29th, the contest was effectively over. Hick still remained, but no longer the commanding player of old, he did not threaten, holing out for 23 off 37 balls. By now, the cathedral bells were ringing noisily, but their sense of joy cannot have been felt in the Worcestershire dressing-room.