The class of James Anderson guided Lancashire Lightning to a tense four-run Vitality Blast North Group victory over Derbyshire Falcons at the OurCoop County Ground.

Anderson bowled a superb penultimate over that cost only three runs and finished with 2 for 19 as the hosts were dismissed for 201 chasing 205.

Aneurin Donald blasted six sixes in a 37 ball 88, his highest T20 score, and Ross Whiteley hammered 46 from 29 but Anderson’s nous proved decisive.

Lightning posted 205 with Ben McDermott scoring 68 from 40 balls and Shadab Khan 58 off 22 before Akif Javed took three wickets in the final over to finish with 4 for 36.

The Red Rose recovered from a mixed powerplay in which Liam Livingstone went cheaply.

Michael Jones and Keaton Jennings took 19 from Ben Aitchison’s second over but Matthew Montgomery’s offspin applied the brake. He beat Jennings’s reverse sweep and Jones sliced Nick Potts to cover before Livingstone edged a cut at Javed.

After six overs Lancashire were 45 for 3 and in need of momentum which McDermott and Matthew Hurst provided. They took 19 from a Martin Andersson over and were starting to motor until Hurst skied Potts into the covers.

McDermott drove Andersson for a fourth six to reach 50 from 34 balls before Shadab found his range.

Javed was dispatched for two sixes and McDermott smashed Aitchison for two maximums in the 17th over which cost 24.

The pair plundered 66 from 26 balls before McDermott was stumped charging Sufyan Moqim but Khan lofted a fourth six on his way to a 19 ball 50. He took the score past 200 before slicing Potts to point but Lightning managed only three off Javed’s superb final over.

The target was less than had looked likely two overs earlier and Donald took a big chunk out of it by hitting two sixes from Tom Hartley’s first over which cost 23. Anderson responded by having Andersson caught at short third and Yousaf Bin Naeem at midwicket but Donald surged to a 22 ball 50.

Tom Aspinwall yorked Wayne Madsen to leave the Falcons 68 for 3 after the powerplay and Montgomery went cheaply when he swung Jack Blatherwick to deep midwicket.

Donald and Whiteley got the Falcons back on track by taking 20 from Blatherwick’s second over as the hosts reached the halfway point needing 88.

Donald was threatening to win the game on his own until he edged another big shot behind which left Whiteley to lead the charge.

He lofted Livingstone for two sixes and although Aspinwall yorked him, Potts gave the Falcons hope. But Anderson bowled skillfully and then held the catch to remove Potts which sealed victory.