PAUL HORTON hit 97 to guide Lancashire to a dramatic four-wicket victory over Gloucestershire in a high-scoring Clydesdale Bank 40 contest at Cheltenham yesterday.
His excellent innings keeps alive his side’s outside chance of qualifying from Group C.
Chasing 291 for victory, Lancashire were also indebted to Tom Smith and big-hitting Oliver Newby, who smashed 77 and 35 not out respectively.
But it was Horton’s 90-ball innings that made the difference, the Australian-born batsman finishing unbeaten three runs short of his hundred as Lancashire won with 11 balls to spare.
Alex Gidman, Chris Taylor and Ian Cockbain earlier contributed quick-fire half centuries as Gloucestershire won the toss and posted an imposing 290-4 on a typically flat Cheltenham pitch.
Gloucestershire must have fancied their chances when Stephen Moore and Steven Croft departed without troubling the scorers in the first over.
When Karl Brown played down the wrong line and was bowled by left-arm seamer David Payne for 27, the visitors were 52-3 and under pressure.
Uninhibited by what was going on around him, Smith continued to play his shots, accruing 11 fours and raising 108 with Horton for the fourth wicket to put his side back into contention. But it was Horton’s well-timed innings, which included nine fours, which ensured victory.
