Match overview
Lancashire beat Kent by 3 wickets in the Vitality Blast at Old Trafford on 6 September 2025. Kent, winning the toss and choosing to bat, posted 153 all out. Lancashire's chase was turbulent in the powerplay, falling to 42 for 3 inside the first six overs, but the middle phase turned the contest. Lancashire scored 79 runs for 3 wickets in overs 7 to 15, and Liam Livingstone's Player of the Match performance steadied a chase that never became comfortable. Lancashire reached 156 for 7 off the final over to secure a win that extends their perfect head-to-head record against Kent to 3 from 3.
Kent's innings told a familiar story of a bright start undone by soft wickets at key moments. Their powerplay was the strongest phase: 54 runs for 2 wickets, well above Old Trafford's powerplay average of 41 runs. The middle overs cost them 4 wickets for 62 runs, and the death brought only 37 runs from the final few overs as the lower order fell cheaply. A total in the mid-150s at a ground that averages 195 in the first innings was always going to demand a disciplined bowling performance to defend.
Lancashire's chase mirrored the tension of Kent's innings in reverse. Three early wickets threatened to derail the pursuit, but the middle-overs rebuild gave them breathing room. The death overs, where Lancashire needed 35 runs and lost just 1 wicket, proved they had enough in reserve to close it out without panic.
Venue and conditions
Old Trafford has hosted 146 T20 matches and produces some of the more bowler-friendly surfaces in English domestic cricket. The average first-innings score of 195 is a useful benchmark, but both sides fell noticeably short of that in this fixture, suggesting conditions on the day favoured the bowling attack across all phases.
The ground's average powerplay of 41 runs frames Kent's 54 as above par and Lancashire's 42 as roughly expected. Where things get interesting is the death: Old Trafford's average of 30 death-over runs suggests big-hitting is harder here than at some other venues, which may explain why both innings tightened up in that final phase. The ground's chase success rate of 46% from 146 matches historically favours the side batting first, though Lancashire's win shows the home advantage can override that trend.
Toss impact appeared limited on this occasion. Kent won the toss and elected to bat, the conventional choice on a ground where teams opt to field only 36% of the time. Chasing sides at Old Trafford need to be patient in the powerplay and build through the middle, which is broadly what Lancashire managed.
How to watch
Vitality Blast fixtures are broadcast live in the UK on Sky Sports Cricket. Streaming is available through Sky Go for existing subscribers, or via a NOW TV sports day or monthly membership for those without a full Sky package. Coverage typically includes pre-match analysis, in-play commentary and post-match interviews.
Highlights packages for Blast matches are available on the ECB's official YouTube channel and via the Blast's own digital platforms. For radio coverage of domestic T20 cricket, BBC Local Radio picks up selected fixtures, though full national radio coverage is more commonly reserved for England internationals.
Recent form
Kent came into this match in mixed shape. Three wins in their previous five Blast outings in 2025, including victories against Essex, Middlesex and Sussex, suggested a side capable of results. But losses to Somerset and Glamorgan in that same run meant they had not strung consecutive wins together with any consistency.
Lancashire's recent form was similarly patchy. A loss to Nottinghamshire preceded wins over Yorkshire and Durham, before back-to-back defeats to Yorkshire and Birmingham Bears. Neither side arrived at Old Trafford in convincing form, which may partly explain why the match was as close as it was. Lancashire's home advantage and Livingstone's individual quality appear to have been the deciding factors on a ground where margins between sides are regularly tight.
