Loye and Law guarantee Lancashire's trip to Lord's

Lancashire claimed the Northern Conference title and booked a trip to Lord's to play Sussex in the C&G Trophy final on 26 August by overcoming Warwickshire by three wickets at Edgbaston yesterday.

Lancashire could be overtaken only if they lost their final group game and Durham beat Derbyshire. But the threat of missing out on their first Lord's final appearance since 1998 was removed by half-centuries from Mal Loye and Stuart Law. Loye launched Lancashire's pursuit of a target of 250 by clubbing 60 from 44 balls which included four sixes and eight fours. Law's 68 was less spectacular but it enabled Lancashire to survive a few bouts of the jitters to reach their target with 16 balls to spare.

An unbeaten century from Middlesex's Owais Shah ensured his side finished their campaign on a winning note by beating Kent by nine runs in the Southern Division.

Shah finished on 123, his highest score in the competition this season, as Middlesex rattled up 284 for 5. With half-centuries from Darren Stevens, Martin Van Jaarsveld and Joe Denly, Kent made a valiant effort to get the runs but ran out of overs, finishing on 275 for 5.