Sussex’s magnificent youngsters saw a famous win slip agonisingly away - after giving Lancashire a major scare.

Danny Lamb’s career best 86 not out from 69 balls helped the hosts secure a thrilling Royal London Cup victory by two wickets at picturesque Sedbergh School.

Lancashire, fielding only two List A debutants to Sussex’s nine in this Group A opener, were restricted to 115-7 chasing 271 before all-rounder Lamb and seamer Tom Bailey shared a record breaking 112 in 18 overs for the eighth wicket to turn the game on its head.

Bailey made 45 off 53 before falling as one of four wickets to leg-spinner Archie Lenham, on his 17th birthday, as the score slipped to 227-8 in the 46th over.

But Lamb hit the bulk of 16 off Henry Crocombe in the 48th over and sealed the win with six balls remaining.

Lancashire will breathe a huge sigh of relief as they head home from the Cumbrian countryside.

For Sussex, the disappointment has to be mixed with pride in defeat.

With an average age of 20, they served impressive notice of their potential with bat, ball and in the field, where Harrison Ward’s groundwork was particularly notable.

The key now will be to bounce back at home to Durham tomorrow.

Australian Travis Head and wicketkeeper Oli Carter made 56 and 55 in their 270-9, while Danial Ibrahim made a similarly measured 46 not out and Will Beer a brisk 40.

Sussex did not look like getting to 270 at a couple of junctures.

They were 13-2 after four overs and 193-6 in the 41st.

But Head and captain Tom Haines, who elected to bat and made 38, shared 74 for the third wicket and Ibrahim and Beer shared 72 for the seventh.

Lancashire then fell to 19-3 inside six overs of the chase on a true surface.

Joe Sarro struck twice with the new ball, including getting Josh Bohannon caught behind with a beauty that nipped away, while Crocombe had former Sussex left-hander Luke Wells caught at slip.

Lancashire fell further, to 115-7 in the 28th over, as birthday boy Lenham excelled.

He had Steven Croft caught at slip and struck twice in the 28th over, his fifth, when he had George Lavelle stumped and Rob Jones lbw for 35.

From there, Lancashire’s task was not quite as tall as the surrounding Howgill Fells, though not far off.

However, all-rounder Lamb and seamer Bailey set about a brilliant escape act.

Bailey hit two sixes before he was stumped off Lenham - 227-8 in the 46th over - and Lamb finished with seven fours and four sixes.

It was starting to feel by then the win was slowly slipping out of the Sussex grasp.

Hurt hit the winning boundary off Sarro to send the majority of the 950 crowd home happy.

Haines said: “That’s a tough one to take from the position we were in. We expected to win that game.

“We have to come back on Sunday (against Durham) and realise what we did well.

“There were little things we could have done better and been clearer with, but batters are allowed to bat well. Danny Lamb played out of his skin.

“We can’t be too harsh on what was a young bowling attack.”