(Sports Correspondent: Imran Sohail)
Imam-ul-Haq Hits Second Successive Century as Yorkshire Beat Lancashire in One-Day Cup Clash
Yorkshire continued their perfect start to the Metro Bank One-Day Cup 2025, chasing down Lancashire’s 294-7 to win by seven wickets at Clifton Park, York. The victory keeps them top of Group B with three wins from three.
Match Summary
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Lancashire: 294/7 (50 overs) – Michael Jones 102 (88), George Balderson 70 (48)
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Yorkshire: 295/3 (46.5 overs) – Imam-ul-Haq 117 (124), Will Luxton 77 (63)
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Result: Yorkshire won by 7 wickets
Jones Fires, But Imam Dominates the Chase
Lancashire’s Michael Jones smashed a brilliant 102 off 88 balls, hitting seven sixes in a blistering knock. Support came from George Balderson, who made a quick-fire 70 from 48 deliveries, helping Lancashire to a competitive 294-7 in excellent batting conditions.
Yorkshire’s reply got off to a slow start as Adam Lyth fell early, but Will Luxton and Imam-ul-Haq took control. The pair added 153 for the second wicket, with Luxton blasting 77 off 63 balls.
Imam, in sublime form, reached his second consecutive century in just 118 balls, striking 10 fours and five sixes before falling for 117. This knock takes him to the top of the tournament’s run-scoring chart with 331 runs so far.
James Wharton (41*) and Matthew Revis (41*) then sealed the win with an unbeaten stand of 75, ensuring Yorkshire crossed the target with 19 balls to spare.
Captain’s View
Yorkshire batter Will Luxton praised the team’s all-round effort:
“We couldn’t have asked for a better start. Imam’s hundred was crucial and great to watch. We backed ourselves to chase, and it worked perfectly.”
Lancashire interim head coach Steven Croft admitted they were “20-30 runs short” but lauded Jones’ innings, calling it “a brilliant show of bravery and stroke play.”
Key Stats
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Imam-ul-Haq: 2nd consecutive List A century (4th time in career achieving back-to-back hundreds)
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Michael Jones: First century since rejoining Lancashire from Durham
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Yorkshire: 3 wins from 3, top of Group B
Yorkshire now look to extend their unbeaten run, while Lancashire will aim to bounce back in their next fixture.
