ENGLAND'S forgotten leg-spinner Chris Schofield proved his worth with the bat with an unbeaten 69, rescuing Lancashire from potential disaster against India A, but it could not prevent a narrow one-wicket defeat in their limited overs game at Stanley Park, Blackpool.

Schofield came to the crease with the score at 30 for four, which worsened to 37 for five and then 54 for seven before he and Gregor Maiden shared a match-winning ninth-wicket partnership of 130.

Maiden was eventually dismissed for 62, after hitting two sixes and three fours in his 84-ball stay, to leave Schofield 69 not out and Lancashire 191 all out with three overs of the allotted 50 still remaining.

Irfan Pathan did the most damage with four for 19 in 10 overs, while Lakshmipathy Balaji and Aavishkar Salvi both claimed three wickets apiece.

But Lancashire's Oliver Newby, from Read, removed India's two openers with just 14 on the board before Sajid Mahmood swept in with a great spell of three for 28 in 10 overs to put Lancashire in the driving seat with India A at 155 for nine.

However, Pathan (19no) and Salvi (20no) returned to haunt the hosts again with a last-wicket stand of 37 with 5.2 overs remaining.