That was the over Yorkshire depserately needed - 14 from it.

Gary Ballance on to 24no now, almost catching up with Joe Root (32no).

for Gary Ballancepublished at 17:57 British Summer Time 17 July 2021

17:57 BST 17 July 2021

Lancashire v Yorkshire 81-3 (14.4 overs)

Gary Ballance decides it's time.

Takes a step away from the wicket and launches one back down the pitch. Just short of the ropes so it's four.

Same treatment with the next ball from Luke Wells. Stopped for two.

But then, boom. Just crashes one over the boundary in the deep. That's 12 runs off three balls. More like it for Yorkshire.

This is a clinic in how to bowl in T20 cricket.

Nothing loose, make the batsmen work for every run.

Just three conceded by Danny Lamb there - a couple of swings and misses from Gary Ballance.

Still no signs of Yorkshire chancing their arm too much.

Just five from that over - and they came from twos or ones off Tom Hartley.

This has been a fine bowling display from Lancashire - they just haven't let Yorkshire score.

Gary Ballance gets his first boundary off the final ball of the 12th over, slamming a Steven Croft delivery back down the wicket.

The bowler gets a foot on it - that could have hurt - but it goes for four.

Not a lot of time for Gary Ballance to play himself in, now.

He's off the mark with a single to deep backward point.

Frustrating for Yorkshire.

Joe Root uses soft hands to edge one from Liam Hurt but Dane Vilas makes an excellent stop behind the stumps.

Then a nice Harry Brook shot is stopped from reaching the ropes.

But then the luck turns as Brook elevates one and it just goes over a fielder at mid-off.

50 up for Yorkshirepublished at 17:38 British Summer Time 17 July 2021

17:38 BST 17 July 2021

Lancashire v Yorkshire 50-2 (9.1 overs)

But we're almost halfway through the innings.

Joe Root and Harry Brook have to start accelerating soon, surely?

Root on a run-a-ball 23, Brook on 15 off 19 balls.

Well, that's an er, interesting, shot from Joe Root.

He telegraphs the scoop but Tom Hartley's ball is too slow.

Root tries to readjust and almost inside-edges it on to his own stumps. It misses Dane Vilas and goes for a couple. Fortunate.

Fabulous evening eh, Sanny?

One of our freelance commentators - and host of Squad Goals, our BBC England radio goals show on all things EFL - loving life - and why not?

Harry Brook punishes a shortish one from Steven Croft, pulling it four four.

If this pair can stay in, the runs will start coming. They are already. It's just a matter of whether they are coming fast enough?

Harry Brook cuts a Luke Wells delivery to deep cover and a misfield allows him to - just - get back for two.

A trademark Joe Root sweep is stopped just on the ropes but that's another three.

Slightly better over for the visitors but the run rate remains low.

Fair to say, Lancashire had the better of the powerplay.

Joe Root and Harry Brook attempting to get themselves settled here.

Root eight off 12, Brook three off seven.

That's OK for now but they will need to step it up fairly quickly.

Root edges Danny Lamb to the boundary, that's a start.

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Harry Brook off the mark off his third ball, just nudging a Luke Wood delivery off the outside of his bat for a single.

Fairly slow going this for Yorkshire, though - not helped, of course, by the loss of those two early wickets in the same Wood over.

Joe Root hammers one back from whence it came for a boundary off Liam Hurt.

That was a free hit for the England man - can't afford to give him those.

A lovely sight.

And the home supporters will be happy with this start.