Derbyshire and Lancashire claimed one win each in back-to-back Second XI Twenty20 matches at The 3aaa County Ground.
The Derbyshire top order were dominant in the opening game to secure a four-run win, whilst the batsmen again rallied in the final game, but could only register 181-7, falling 31 runs short in their chase.
Lancashire brought a strong side to The 3aaa County Ground which included Australia international James Faulkner and England representatives Liam Livingstone and Matt Parkinson, who are preparing for the back-to-back England Lions games in Derby at the end of this week.
After winning the toss and electing to bat first, Derbyshire lost Chesney Hughes (7) early in their innings, but Tom Wood and James Kettleborough (48 not out) rebuilt for Derbyshire in the face of good bowling from the visitors.
Wood fell to Parkinson for 26 and Anuj Dal picked up the mantle, adding 28 before Daryn Smit struck 35 as Derbyshire posted 160-4.
Arron Lilley and Karl Brown added 56 for the opening wicket in the Lancashire chase, but the visitors were soon 89-4 as Matt McKiernan (3-15) struck twice.
Brooke Guest hit an unbeaten 39 in quick time, before McKiernan returned to claim his third as the spinners slowed the rate.
A late run out after good work from Wood and further tight bowling restricted Lancashire to 156-6, securing a four-run win for Derbyshire.
Lancashire won the toss in the second fixture and got off to a flyer batting first. Brown crashed 74 off 36 balls with 12 fours and three sixes in an opening partnership with Livingstone worth 86 in under eight overs.
Brown was out to McKiernan and Lilley (4) soon followed to James Taylor, but the visitors kept up the high run rate and were 171-3 in the 17th over when Livingstone was caught in the deep.
Faulkner hit an unbeaten 46 at the end of the innings as Lancashire set Derbyshire 212 to win.
Wood got the chase off to a good start, striking 41 off 24 before he was caught of Parkinson, the first of the spinner’s two wickets.
Fellow opener Hughes was out to the same bowler and Kettleborough fell for 17 as Derbyshire slipped to 95-3 at the halfway stage.
Still in the chase, Dal hit 40 and Smit added 35 off 25, but the spin of Parkinson and Lilley slowed the rate and Derbyshire ultimately fell 31 runs short, closing on 181-7 from their 20 overs.
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