Fierce Roses rivalry sees Lancashire enjoy bragging rights with one-run victory over Yorkshire at Headingley

The great sparring partners do not meet in the County Championship in 2019, on account of the fact that Lancashire were relegated last summer, but there were still three scheduled meetings in white-ball cricket, starting with this 50-overs contest on Easter Day.

It was a contest which, inspired by the history of that rivalry and the scorching weather, drew a crowd of 4,683 to Emerald Headingley.

They watched Lancashire score 311-6 after choosing to bat, Steven Croft top-scoring with 97, Yorkshire responding with 310 as Tom Kohler-Cadmore returned fire with 97 himself before the hosts lost out by a single run.

After Gary Ballance chipped in with 72, sharing in a fourth-wicket stand of 127 in 18 overs with Kohler-Cadmore that looked to have swung it Yorkshire’s way, Jonny Tattersall was so nearly the hero.

The wicketkeeper struck 49 from 29 balls before he was run-out off the penultimate delivery in a desperate attempt to reclaim the strike. Josh Poysden, the No 11, was run-out off the final ball trying for a second run that would have left the game tied.

No sooner had his wicket been broken than the Lancashire players celebrated loud and long in the evening shadows. After losing their first two games to Worcestershire and Nottinghamshire, they sorely needed this victory too.

Yorkshire’s need was not nearly so pressing following a win over Leicestershire and a tie against Warwickshire, and they rested captain and pace bowler Steve Patterson for their third game in five days, drafting in South African quick Duanne Olivier for his first one-day appearance for the club.