LANCASHIRE failed to make the most of an excellent start with the bat as they lost today’s thrilling Royal London one-day Cup clash with Warwickshire by three wickets with a ball to spare at Emirates Old Trafford.

The Lightning were in prime position for a score above 300 having reached the 30-over mark in their innings at 154-2 with Ashwell Prince and Paul Horton (37) set at the crease.

But former England fast bowler Boyd Rankin struck three times in successive overs to reduce them to 161-5 in the 35th, and they could only post a respectable 265-7 from their 50 having been invited to bat.

Warwickshire, whose captain Varun Chopra hit a measured 88, lost five wickets for 65 to fall from 173-3 to 238-7 after 47 overs. Unfortunately, though, they achieved 13 off the last over from Tom Bailey to secure their first win.

Prince top-scored with 82 off 87 balls, and it took a late career best 73 not out off 59 from Alex Davies to even get the hosts the total they did. Rankin finished with an excellent 3-33 from eight overs.

Warwickshire then reached the halfway point in their innings at 116-2, needing 151 more.

They had made an excellent start thanks to opening pair Chopra and Will Porterfield sharing 64 inside 13 overs, although Porterfield and Jonathan Trott fell in the 13th and 16th overs to leave the score at 71-2.

Porterfield chipped Stephen Parry to mid-wicket and Trott slapped James Faulkner to point.

But Chopra, who reached fifty off 75 balls, and Tim Ambrose steadied and later prospered for the Bears.

By the time Ambrose reached his 45-ball fifty early in the 32nd over, they were 161-2 needing 105 more.

The third-wicket pair shared 102 inside 20 overs and had their alliance broken when Kyle Jarvis trapped Ambrose lbw for 59 with 173 on the board in the 35th.

It was the first of the five wickets to fall as the visitors slipped to bring the contest back into the balance, needing 28 to win off three overs. Steven Croft’s off-spinners claimed two of those wickets, including Chopra bowled.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough as Ateeq Javid and Jeetan Patel starred for the hosts.

Lancashire, having lost two from four, desperately need a win against Nottinghamshire at Liverpool tomorrow to keep their quarter-final hopes alive.