SOUTH African youngster Francois Du Plessis continued his impressive run of form to help Lancashire get back to winning ways in the Twenty20 Cup with victory over Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge yesterday.

The 23 year-old batsman, who bowls a bit of tidy leg-spin, notched an unbeaten 57 and claimed 1-13 from three overs.

Lancashire chased down their victory target of 152 with five wickets and four balls to spare after the Outlaws had posted 151-7 from their 20-overs. Leg-spinner Simon Marshall also claimed impressive figures of 3-27 from his four overs.

Du Plessis, the winter Kolpak signing nicknamed Faf', has already notched scores of 45 and 42 in the Twenty20 Cup. He has also taken seven wickets in seven matches.

"That was my best innings for Lancashire in Twenty20, and it was all about getting the team through in the end," said the Nashua Titans man, who ended Lancashire's run of three successive defeats.

Du Plessis shared a third wicket stand of 66 in nine overs with his captain Stuart Law, who hit 33 off 28 balls, to tip the game Lancashire's way. The Lightning had slipped to 46-2 despite Mal Loye's 32.

Du Plessis also batted with England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff during his cameo of 13 off eight balls.

Freddie, who was trapped lbw for a golden duck against Yorkshire on Friday, hit two boundaries.

But he could have been out leg before again first ball and was almost stumped two balls before he was bowled by little known left-arm spinner Rob Ferley.

Du Plessis continued: "I was very nervous when it hit his pad, it was a very close shout. But it's good to see him back in the middle again."

Nottinghamshire had actually got off to decent start, reaching 69-1 thanks to a second wicket stand of 57 between Adam Voges and Samit Patel (31).

Voges, the Australian international batsman, was the backbone of the Outlaws' effort on a slow track with his 51 off 42 balls.

The leg-spin twins of Marshall and Du Plessis really put the squeeze on by claiming four wickets for 40 runs in seven overs between them.

Marshall got rid Patel, Mark Ealham (28) and Andre Adams, while Kyle Hogg and Glen Chapple also claimed a wicket apiece. Steven Croft later hit the winnings runs.

Lancashire remain in fourth place outside the qualification places, and take on Derbyshire Phantoms at Old Trafford tonight.