In an electrifying match at Old Trafford, Liam Livingstone delivered an outstanding performance, scoring an unbeaten 85 off just 45 deliveries, leading Lancashire to a crucial victory over Kent by three wickets in the 2025 Vitality Blast quarter-finals. With this win, Lancashire secured their place in the Finals Day.
Livingstone was relentless in his pursuit of runs, launching seven sixes and four fours, and he sealed the victory with nine balls to spare, helping his team chase down a target of 154.
On the Kent side, Fred Klaassen shone with the ball, claiming 3 wickets for just 14 runs. However, his impressive spell wasn’t enough to turn the tide in the Spitfires’ favor.
Winning the toss, Kent opted to bat first, but disaster struck early as Tawanda Muyeye was dismissed for a duck on the very first delivery, bowled by Luke Wood, who finished with figures of 3 for 29.
With the team struggling at 65-3, Zak Crawley made his return to the lineup but was quickly sent back to the pavilion after scoring 27 runs. This opened the door for Livingstone to demonstrate his bowling prowess as well, restricting Kent to just 153 runs with a standout bowling performance of 2 wickets for 21 runs in four overs.
Despite the modest target, Lancashire’s innings faltered initially, plunging to 5-2 with early losses of Phil Salt and Luke Wells. Captain Keaton Jennings also fell cheaply, leaving the team in a precarious position.
However, Livingstone quickly took charge, punishing Nathan Gilchrist’s bowling with a six and racing to a half-century in only 25 balls. Ashton Turner contributed 22 runs before being caught, but the match momentum had shifted firmly towards Lancashire.
Former Lancashire spinner Matt Parkinson claimed two wickets but couldn’t halt Livingstone’s resurgence. Ultimately, the match ended on a high note as Livingstone’s remarkable performance led Lancashire into the Finals Day.
Upcoming Vitality Blast Matches
- Wednesday, September 3 (Kia Oval): Northants defeated Surrey by seven runs.
- Friday, September 5 (Chester-le-Street): Hampshire triumphed over Durham by 26 runs.
- Saturday, September 6: Lancashire beat Kent by three wickets.
- Saturday, September 6: Somerset will face Bears at Taunton, starting at 6:30 PM.
The winners will advance to Finals Day at Edgbaston on Saturday, September 13, broadcast live on Sky Sports.
Catch the England white-ball series against South Africa and the conclusion of the 2025 Vitality Blast, exclusively live on Sky Sports Cricket or stream without a contract on NOW.