Champions Lancashire maintained their Metro Bank One-Day Cup title hopes with a come-from-behind three-run victory at AO Farington, successfully defending a 38-over 170-target.

Durham were on course thanks to fourth-wicket pair Hollie Armitage, who made 54, and Bess Heath sharing 71 to take the score to 140 for 3 in the 32nd over.

But retiring ex-England seamer Kate Cross superbly returned 3 for 24 on a slow pitch, including getting Heath and Armitage, to give Lancashire a fifth straight win and a sixth in 14 in all. They are now on the coat-tails of third-placed Warwickshire with two games to play. Durham have been knocked out.

Cross defended nine runs off the last over, striking once in it as Durham finished on 166 for 9. Earlier, Lancashire’s 169 for 8 saw opener Darcey Carter top-score with a patient 45, while new-ball seamer Trudy Johnson finished with three wickets.

A rain-delayed start, which came at 12.30pm, was followed by Johnson bowling Eve Jones with the contest’s first ball.

Lancashire’s progress was steady on a slow pitch. Added to Johnson’s trio of wickets, Australian allrounder Eleanor Larosa struck twice with her left-arm swing, as did the legspin of Katie Levick. One of Levick’s wickets was Carter bowled, who hit one boundary in 87 balls.

The Red Rose only scored nine boundaries in total, while Levick’s second wicket – that of youngster Skye Thomas caught at cover off a leading edge – gave an idea of the bowler-friendly conditions. A shortish ball turned and held in the pitch, deceiving the batter.

Johnson removed Seren Smale for 36 and Grace Potts with successive deliveries in the final over of Lancashire’s innings.

A number of home batters, chiefly Ellie Threlkeld with 21 and Fi Morris 20, got starts without being able to go on. And, in hindsight, Lancashire should have accelerated earlier.

Despite that, the total still felt competitive in Cross’s last home game before retirement. And Durham were never going to blaze a trail towards their target.

Openers Mia Rogers and Emma Marlow got them off to a settled start at 34 without loss. But Sophie Morris struck three times as Durham slipped to 69 for 3 after 17 overs. Rogers was bowled for 18 on the sweep, Marlow miscued to cover on 24 and Emily Windsor was stumped.

Armitage, though, played a cornerstone-type innings, allowing Heath to push the boat out a bit more in her 43. She pulled and heaved boundaries against seam and spin and helped the score to 118 for 3 after 28 overs, 52 more required.

Heath and Grace Thompson fell to successive Cross deliveries, one caught at short fine leg and the other yorked, to leave Durham 140 for 5 in the 32nd.

Fi Morris bowled Larosa and Sophie Morris had Katherine Fraser caught behind before Sophia Turner was run out, leaving nine needed off the last at 161 for 8. Cross then had a scooping Armitage caught with the first ball of the last over, the decisive blow.