NEIL FAIRBROTHER'S little left arm has kept Lancashire's dream of a Lords' double alive.

Fairbrother, the smallest man on the field, stretched way back over the boundary rope to throw the ball back into play and deny Dean Jones an apparently certain six.

That six would have booked Derbyshire's place in today's NatWest semi-final draw. Instead Glen Chapple bowled a brilliant last over and Jones, needing four to win off the last ball, could only manage two, leaving Lancashire to face Yorkshire at Old Trafford for the second time this season.

Jones was left unbeaten on exactly 100, a magnificent innings, but showed his bitter disappointment by locking his players in the dressing room after the game.

There was controversy over Fairbrother's stop with Derbyshire's travelling fans chanting "Cheat" at the Lancashire ace for the rest of the game.

But their Australian coach Les Stillman said: "We have no complaints. As far as we are concerned it wasn't a six. End of story."

Lancashire coach John Stanworth admitted: "Harvey's stop won us the game. If he had tried to catch it, it would have been six."

But after Lancashire's third successive last gasp victory in big one day games at Old Trafford, Stanworth added: "I'm not sure how many more of these I can take."

Lancs batted first, and Jones was leading Derbyshire's charge for a 60-over target of 289 with an innings which proved he is still one of the top one-day batsmen in the world.

Kim Barnett and Dominic Cork, promoted to opener and continuing his outstanding record against Lancashire with an 85-ball half century, gave Derbyshire a flying start with a stand of 92 in 27 overs, but then Jones took over, his century coming off 106 balls.

Mike Atherton was the rock of Lancashire's total, batting through 58 of their overs for a new NatWest best of 115 which won him the man of the match award from Derek Randall.

Atherton was given brilliant support by Graham Lloyd, who slammed 61 from 59 balls, in a fourth wicket stand of 101 in 19 overs. But he showed his class by moving from 50 to 100 in just 55 balls without hitting a single boundary.

Lancashire looked set for a total of more than 300 before their lower order was wrecked by Kim Barnett, brought on by Jones as a desperation measure.

Barnett claimed a 5-32 in six overs, including an amazing treble wicket maiden in the 59th over, bowling medium pace rather than his usual leg spin.

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