T20 Blast: Lancashire beat Worcestershire to keep quarter-final hopes alive

Jos Buttler struck 52 from 40 balls as Lancashire Lightning beat Worcestershire Rapids by seven wickets to keep their T20 Blast campaign alive.

Buttler shared a 76-run partnership with fellow England international Liam Livingstone (36) to help pass the Rapids' 127-8 with 15 balls to spare.

Lancashire spinners Stephen Parry, Matt Parkinson and Arron Lilley had earlier restricted Worcestershire.

The win sees Lancashire move up to sixth in the North Group on 13 points.

• T20 Blast scorecards and Group tables

Lancashire came into this must-win game in seventh place in the North Group, having won just one of their past six games, but after winning the toss they took control.

Worcestershire captain Joe Leach blasted 24 from 15 balls and Brett D'Oliveira made 30, but economical bowling from Parry (1-17) and Parkinson (1-14) stalled the away side's progress.

The hosts' top order then made light work of the chase, with Lilley's 33 from 23 balls allowing Buttler and Livingstone to stay ahead of the run-rate and keep them in the contention going into Friday's final group game against Birmingham Bears.

Lightning will now have to beat the Bears and hope other results go their way to qualify for the quarter-finals, while Worcestershire, who were out of contention before the game, remain eighth.