LANCASHIRE made mincemeat of Hertfordshire yesterday and will continue their defence of the NatWest Trophy against Hampshire in Southampton on July 7.

The gulf between first class cricket and the Minor Counties looked wider than ever as Lancashire piled up 381-3, their highest NatWest score even though the competition has been reduced to 50 overs per side this year.

Hertfordshire were happy to play for respectability and ended with 213-6 so Lancashire won by 168 runs.

Mike Watkinson was man of the match after making the most of his promotion to opener with 130 from 109 balls, his first NatWest century.

"We have a flexible approach to these games and if I'm asked to bat high up the order then I'm happy to do so," said Watkinson, who also took 2-44 in the Hertfordshire innings.

"You don't have much chance to score a century going in at six or seven."

Mark Chilton hit 50, skipper John Crawley 85 and Andy Flintoff belted 57 from 25 balls including five sixes and two dropped catches.

Peter Martin and Ian Austin were the pick of the Lancashire attack with Hertfordshire's batsmen, including former Surrey man David Ward, managing to milk Muttiah Muralitharan at five runs an over - more than any first class players have managed.

Lancashire hit the Lord's trail again tomorrow, taking on Sussex in the Benson and Hedges Super Cup quarter finals, and are likely to name an unchanged team.

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