Lancashire booked their berth in the final of the Royal London One-Day Cup as they beat Sussex by 65 runs at the 1st Central County Cricket Ground in Hove.
A blistering century by Dane Vilas – and a total of 121 off 99 balls – helped Lancashire post 319-8 from their 50 overs after electing to bat first.
Lancashire were reduced to 67-5 in the 15th over before Vilas forged a solid partnership with George Lavelle – and a flurry towards the end from Danny Lamb ensured the visitors ended their innings with a challenging total.
After an encouraging start to the chase, Sussex folded for a paltry 254 in the 47th over. Their batters got off to a flyer but failed to capitalise.
The home team made a promising start as their new ball bowlers chipped in with early wickets in their opening spell.
Brad Currie made the initial breakthrough as, in the fourth over, he cleaned up opener Luke Wells – a familiar face at Hove – restricting him to 14 runs. Then Aristides Karvelas bowled Josh Bohannon towards the end of the powerplay. Lancashire were 53-2 at the end of 10 overs.
Lancashire lost their next three wickets for just five runs. Skipper Keaton Jennings 23 (24) was bowled by Henry Crocombe, while Steven Croft and George Balderson were sent packing cheaply by Fynn Hudson-Prentice.
But a brilliant batting display by Vilas followed as he pulled Lancashire out of a sticky situation. Lavelle provided valuable support until he was run out by James Coles for a well-made half-century.
Danny Lamb continued the onslaught and was run out on the final ball of the innings for 57 from just 48 deliveries, helping Lancashire set a target of 320.
Hudson-Prentice was the pick of the bowlers, with three wickets for 43 from seven overs, while Crocombe, Karvelas and Currie picked up a wicket each.
Sussex came out to bat all guns blazing, with the strike rate of openers Tom Alsop and Ali Orr above target. Orr reached his 50 from just 38 deliveries in the first powerplay. Sussex were 65-1 after 10 overs, having lost the wicket of Alsop, who was cleaned up for 25 by Liam Hurt.
The dangerous-looking Orr was sent back to the dressing room in a similar fashion by Hurt, departing for a well-compiled 71 off 65 deliveries.
Sussex looked in a good position in the chase at 126-2 in the 22nd over with Tom Haines and Cheteshwar Pujara at the crease.
But the in-form Pujara struggled to get going and seemed sluggish before being adjudged lbw off the bowling of Balderson for 10 from 31 balls.
Haines, making his return from injury, played well for his 49 but was caught behind off the bowling of Balderson, reducing the home team to 167-4 in the 32nd over.
Tom Clark 31 (39) and Delray Rawlins 23 (14) each made a contribution but neither was able to change the course of the game.
