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July 20, 2024
Steven Croft, a stalwart in English domestic cricket, achieved a remarkable milestone during Lancashire’s North Group clash against Northamptonshire in the Vitality T20 Blast 2024. Despite never having donned the England jersey internationally, Croft has made an indelible mark on the domestic circuit.
In a top-of-the-table encounter at Manchester, Northamptonshire secured a four-wicket victory while chasing a formidable target of 202. However, the match’s highlight was Lancashire all-rounder Steven Croft’s entry into an exclusive club, celebrated by both the 39-year-old and the fans.
Croft, representing his hometown club in his 249th T20 match, became only the fourth player in the Blast’s history to surpass 5000 runs. This achievement places him alongside notable names like James Vince, Joe Denly, and Luke Wright.
The milestone was reached in the 14th over of Lancashire’s innings when Croft expertly cut a wide delivery from left-arm wrist-spinner Freddie Heldreich to the backward point boundary. Although Croft’s innings were brief, scoring 22 runs with two sixes and a boundary significantly contributed to his overall career tally. His knock ended when he was caught by former England all-rounder Ravi Bopara off the bowling of David Willey.
Despite Croft’s efforts, Lancashire needed help to secure a win. Bopara and Willey played crucial roles for Northamptonshire, combining for 62 runs off 43 balls, which were instrumental in their successful chase. However, South African batter Matthew Breetzke stole the show with a blistering 76 off 31 balls, propelling Northamptonshire to second place in the standings with 18 points at the end of the group stage. Lancashire finished third and will face Sussex in the quarter-finals.
On July 19, a busy day in the Vitality T20 Blast 2024 saw eight matches unfold, four from the North Group and four from the South Group.
The North Group action kicked off with Derbyshire taking on Durham. Derbyshire batted first but struggled to make an impact, with Wayne Madsen and Alex Thomson top-scoring with 22 runs each, leading the team to a modest total of 155/8 in 20 overs. Durham comfortably chased the target, scoring 159/2 in 18.5 overs, thanks to unbeaten knocks from Alex Lees (72*) and Colin Ackermann (54*), securing an eight-wicket victory.
One of the highlighted matches in the South Group was between Sussex and Middlesex. Middlesex batted first, posting 159/9 in 20 overs, mainly due to Jack Davies’ 52-run contribution. However, Sussex made light work of the chase, reaching 161/1 in just 16.2 overs, led by Daniel Hughes’ unbeaten 96 and Harrison Ward’s 56, winning the game by nine wickets.
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Katarzyna Nowak is a seasoned writer with over five years of experience in editorial content, news reporting, and cricket sportsbook app reviews. As an author for Top Cricket News, she combines her deep understanding of the sports betting industry with a passion for cricket, delivering insightful and accurate content that keeps readers informed and engaged.
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