Regal Prince rules Northants

Ashwell Prince carries Lancashire to a comfortable six-wicket triumph with a measured 78 off 97 balls

Ashwell Prince hit his highest one-day score for Lancashire to put them on the verge of qualifying for the quarter-finals of the Friends Provident Trophy.

The 31-year-old South Africa batsman, who averages 98 after three LV= County Championship games, hit 78 off 97 balls to act as the cornerstone of the Lightning’s pursuit of 212 against Northamptonshire at Old Trafford.

Lancashire, who are fighting Essex for top spot in Group D, won by six wickets and currently sit on eight points after five games.

Coach Peter Moores believes 10 points will secure a place in the last eight and Lancashire face Derbyshire at Derby tomorrow.

Northamptonshire did well to recover from 97 for five in the 26th over and 129 for seven in the 32nd to post a respectable 211 for nine.

Captain Nicky Boje led the way with 50 off 57 balls, including five fours and a six, while Alex Wakely and David Lucas both made 32.

Glen Chapple returned the pick of the Lancashire figures with 2-32 from 10 overs. Gary Keedy also claimed two wickets but went for 42 from seven overs.

Lancashire were sharp in the field, the prime examples being the run-outs of Boje and Monty Panesar, but they will have been disappointed to concede 33 extras.

Chapple picked up his wickets in the first 12 overs after he invited to visitors to bat. He had Riki Wessels caught at deep square-leg by Croft and trapped Niall O’Brien lbw for 23 to reduce the Steelbacks to 37 for three. Kyle Hogg had Andrew Hall caught behind by Luke Sutton in between.

Glen Chapple roars his delight after removing Niall O'Brien en route to figures of 2-32 at Old Trafford

Rob White was well caught by Prince at cover off Sajid Mahmood and Keedy bowled Mark Nelson as Northants stumbled.

Boje helped take 13 off Keedy’s third over with a swept six and a four but was run out from short midwicket by Mark Chilton and Francois du Plessis shortly after reaching a 52-ball half century.

Keedy trapped David Willey lbw in the 32nd over before Wakely and Lucas put on 40 for the eighth wicket.

Wakely was caught by Croft at cover off Tom Smith, and Monty Panesar became the second player to be run out - this time by Croft - before Lucas and Lee Daggett shared an unbroken 10th-wicket stand of 41 in eight overs.

Lancashire lost Smith to a fine catch at mid-on by Boje off the bowling of Lucas in the third over of their reply.

Prince and Paul Horton added 97 for the second wicket before the latter was caught at slip by Hall off Panesar for 46. Chilton was bowled by Hall for 29 to leave Lancashire 144 for three.

Prince, who struck seven fours, hit former international colleague Hall for a straight six but holed out to Willey at deep midwicket off Daggett with victory in sight.

Du Plessis finished with 40 not out as the win was secured with 15 balls to spare.