Dubai: Lancashire Lightning completed an impressive 63-run win over Birmingham Bears in the opening Emirates Twenty20 (T20) fixture at the ICC Academy on Thursday.
Lancashire, put in to bat after Ian Bell won the toss, racked 159-8, while Birmingham could only reply with 96, as Bears sporting director Ashley Giles faced his former team for the first time.
Luke Procter and Alex Davies opened the batting for Lancashire before the latter was trapped leg before in the second over off Rikki Clarke.
Liam Livingstone, who joined up with the Lancashire squad on Wednesday after a stunning couple of months with the England Lions and Team North, started positively from the outset.
Procter started to time the ball nicely too, striking four consecutive boundaries off Clarke in the fifth over.
Livingstone punished some short bowling off Josh Poysden, hitting the Warwickshire spinner for three sixes in a row in the ninth over as Lancashire gained momentum.
Procter was caught behind by Tim Ambrose off the bowling of Chris Wright, but Livingstone continued on his way to a half century off 28 balls.
Livingstone (52) was dismissed shortly after off the bowling of Oliver Hannon-Dalby and that started a mini Lancashire collapse with several wickets falling in quick time.
Karl Brown played nicely, hitting two boundaries and a maximum, while Rob Jones (15) and Jordan Clark both struck nicely hit boundaries, but Lancashire were restricted to 159/8 from 20 overs.
In reply, Lancashire made the perfect start as James Anderson, who has recovered from a shoulder injury, took a wicket in the opening over, dismissing Sam Hain.
In the second over, Saqib Mamood dismissed Keith Barker cheaply with Jones taking a safe catch. Birmingham Bears were 9/2 after two overs.
Bell (30) and Ambrose (23) recovered the situation for the Bears as the pair put on 50 for the third wicket.
Stephen Parry made the important breakthrough bowling Bell before Clark was dismissed by Danny Lamb the following over.
The Bears lost two wickets in quick succession with Stephen Parry and Lamb striking again as Giles’ side were reduced to 72/6.
Three wickets then fell with just three runs scored with Jordan Clark taking all three wickets as Birmingham Bears were bowled out for 96 as Lancashire completed a comprehensive 63-run win.
In Thursday’s other game recent Pakistan Super League winners Peshawar Zalmi Foundation XI beat Durham Jets by 35 runs ahead of the late game between Birmingham Bears and Lahore Qalandars.
On Friday, MCC World XI play Durham Jets and Lancashire Lightning face Lahore Qalanders both at 10.30am. MCC World XI then play Peshawar at 2.15pm before the final at 6pm.
