[themaclad]

Lancashire batsmen might be grateful that only one session of play was possible on the opening day of their Rothesay County Championship match against Leicestershire at Emirates Old Trafford.


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After being asked to bat first in cloudy conditions, Keaton Jennings' side had proceeded uncertainly to 61 for three at lunch before the light showers that prevented a resumption coalesced into the steady drizzle that caused play to be abandoned at 4.30pm.

In the first hour of play, the former Hampshire all-rounder, Ian Holland, got plenty of help from the pitch and removed both Michael Jones, bowled between bat and pad for ten, and Keaton Jennings, caught at first slip for nine in an eight-over spell that cost only 13 runs.

Lancashire were 19 for two when Jennings was out and the third-wicket pair, Josh Bohannon and Marcus Harris, then batted with understandable caution, only six runs being scored in the first seven overs of their 25-run stand.

But having made nine in nearly an hour, Bohannon was caught down the leg side by Ben Cox off Ben Mike and the session could have gone even better for Leicestershire had not Cox and third slip, Rehan Ahmed, dropped Matty Hurst twice in his first nine balls.

As it was, Lancashire reached lunch on 61 for three after 31 overs and might well have reflected that the session could have gone much worse for them. Harris was 19 not out after facing 54 balls in 88 minutes and Hurst was unbeaten on 13 after his two escapes. It is doubtful whether the home batsmen were sorry that no further play was possible.

However, this session maintained Leicestershire's fine start to the campaign. Handscomb's team came into this game at the top of the early-season table whereas Lancashire, the pre-season favourites for promotion, are fourth, 16 points behind their current opponents and without a win from their matches against Middlesex and Northamptonshire.

[themaclad]

Half centuries by Marcus Harris and George Balderson helped counter a career-best five wicket haul by Tom Scriven as Leicestershire underlined their credentials as Division Two leaders on an eventful second day at Emirates Old Trafford.

After bowling Lancashire out for 263, the visitors replied with a rapid century opening partnership between Rehan Ahmed and Sol Budinger and had reached 120 for one by the close to trail by 143 runs.

Initially, batting on a second morning delayed by thirty minutes proved just as tricky as on the first during which Lancashire had fought their way to 61 for three.

Harris drove the fifth ball of the day from Logan van Beek for four but that shot proved to be the exception as the Leicestershire attack continued to extract enough movement from the conditions to constantly trouble the batters during the morning.



Ahmed dropped Matty Hurst on 13 for the second time in the innings, a shoulder high chance that burst through the fielder’s hands at third slip off the unfortunate van Beek.

And Hurst made the most of his reprieve, hitting 18 off four deliveries from van Beek in the ninth over of the day, starting with a pulled six over backward square leg followed by three consecutive fours, the latter bringing up the fifty partnership with Harris from 109 balls.

Hurst’s luck finally ran out fifty minutes into the day when Scriven nipped his second ball of the morning back sufficiently to trap the wicketkeeper lbw for 46 and break a promising 73-run stand.



Meanwhile Harris had mixed some excellent defence with several good shots that included three sweetly timed drives for four that took the Australian overseas player to his half century off 108 balls just before lunch.

So far Harris has passed fifty in four of his first five Championship innings for Lancashire. Only Ashwell Prince, who posted 50+ in each of his first 4 innings for the Red Rose has a better record.

Although conditions for batting eased slightly after lunch, there was still enough in the wicket to keep the bowlers interested as Scriven proved when he brought one back from outside off stump to trap Harris lbw for 77 early in the afternoon session to leave Lancashire 184 for five. Harris now has made a Championship-leading 360 runs at an average of 72.00.

A running mix-up then saw Tom Hartley depart for 11 and Luke Wells, who had earlier retired hurt on 9 following a painful blow to his left elbow, returned to add 20 to his score before becoming Sciven’s third lbw victim of the day.



Balderson had progressed slowly but surely to his fifty off 132 balls when leg glancing Scriven for his sixth four, but two balls later the bowler produced a beautiful delivery from around the wicket that came back sharply to take out middle stump for 51.

Scriven’s maiden ‘five-for’ arrived when Anderson Phillip edged behind for 3 and van Beek finally had a catch taken when John Turner edged his first ball to Louis Kimber at first slip with the last four wickets falling for 21 runs in 35 balls.

Lancashire were left to rue missing a good chance off the fifth ball of the Leicestershire innings when Budinger edged Mahmood, returning to Championship action for the first time since last May, between first and second slip at a catchable height when on 0.

Ahmed and Budinger attacked with gusto to race to their fifty partnership off 61 balls but Budinger had a second let off on 31 in Hartley’s opening over. The Leicestershire opener pulled Hartley’s second delivery viciously but hit Josh Bohannon fielding at bat/pad. Budinger then edged a sharp chance off the next delivery that Bohannon juggled three times but couldn’t hold.



The breakthrough Lancashire sought soon arrived when Budinger pulled Mahmood to Bohannon at mid-on for 41 to end the opening stand at 102.

Ahmed posted his half century off 77 balls just before the close and he will return tomorrow on 61 alongside Ian Holland who is 6 not out.

“It was quite a tricky wicket yesterday. There's obviously a bit more grass on it than the last game, so there's a bit more in it,” assessed Marcus Harris.

“Batting first under probably cloudier conditions, we haven't had the best of conditions, but it felt like 265 was probably around par. They came out and scored quite quickly there at the end, but I thought we dragged it back in the last 45 minutes and bowled a lot better.

“It still feels like there's enough in the wicket, we’ve just got to put the ball in the right spot for long enough.

“It wasn't an impossible wicket to bat on,” he added.

“There was obviously a bit more in it than what there has been, but if you could apply yourself for long enough, there were chances to score.

“I think having opened the batting for a long time, I’m used to having the batting in all different types of conditions. So, it wasn't anything unusual. And like I said, the wicket felt like it wasn't like a minefield.

“It's like the odd ball did a bit, but more often than not, it came on okay. So, it was sort of just about applying your game plan and sticking out there for long enough, I think. Credit to them, they bowled pretty well.

“They had slightly more defensive fields that didn't let the board tick as much. So, maybe in previous games we would have scored a few more runs, but with their field set, it sort of stopped the runs flowing as much.”



Looking ahead to tomorrow Harris said:

“I think if we can bowl well, control the board a bit more, I think Tommy Hartley looked really good at the end then.

“So, plug him in from one end and have the big boys go from this end, I think we should be all right.”

[themaclad]

Fine centuries by Peter Handscomb and Rehan Ahmed, plus the fall of three late wickets in Lancashire’s second innings, helped consolidate Leicestershire’s advantage after three days of this Rothesay County Championship match at Emirates Old Trafford.

The Division Two leaders posted 491 for eight declared in reply to Lancashire’s first innings 263 with the Red Rose side closing on 16 for three from the eight overs faced at the end of the day to trail by 212 runs going into tomorrow’s final day.

Ahmed and Ian Holland set off at a canter when play resumed this morning with Leicestershire on 120 for one, the pair adding 60 at a run-per-minute during the first hour of play.

Ahmed, who mixed some good defence with calculated aggression, enhanced his claim for a permanent spot at the top of the order by swiftly adding to his overnight 61 with a number of attractive strokes and while he was at crease it was compulsive watching - unless you were one of the bowlers.



Having hit 14 fours and reaching his second first-class century off 147 balls – but his first in four innings as an opening bat – Ahmed departed in surprisingly tame fashion, prodding a catch off Tom Hartley to Josh Bohannon at silly mid-off.

That was just reward for Hartley who plugged away throughout the morning in a 15-over spell from the James Anderson end, and two runs later Lancashire were celebrating a second wicket of the day.

Holland had helped Ahmed add 86 for the second wicket but succumbed to a bit of pressure after getting stuck on 35 and mistimed a pull to a back-of-the-length delivery from John Turner to give a comfortable catch to Saqib Mahmood at mid-on.



But these were the only successes before lunch for Lancashire as Leicestershire, on 242 for three, pressed on in sunny weather that helped flatten out the wicket further during the afternoon, in sharp contrast to the helpful bowling conditions on the first two mornings of the game.

Lewis Hill and Handscomb settled to steadily build their fourth wicket partnership through the afternoon session, Hill taking 91 balls to reach his half century and Handscomb 96 balls to get to the same landmark.

Eight years ago, Handscomb hit a 77-ball century at Emirates Old Trafford in his Yorkshire days and there were occasional reminders of that innings, not least when he produced a thunderous pull shot for four off George Balderson with the new ball.

Having helped add for 130 runs for the fourth wicket, Hill departed for 64 thirty minutes before tea after carelessly slogging Balderson to Michael Jones at midwicket.

For the second time in the day a further success followed quickly as Louis Kimber was beaten by a pitched-up delivery from Turner to be bowled for 8 leaving Leicestershire on 331 for five with a lead of 68 runs.



Handscomb and Cox built on that either side of tea with a 66-run partnership before Cox pulled Mahmood to Luke Wells on the deep square leg boundary for 31 while Leicestershire skipper Handscomb reached his 27th first-class hundred off 170 balls moments later.

Handscomb then ploughed on relentlessly with good support from Logan van Beek (29) while losing Ben Green for five, before finally pulling out of the innings just after 6pm having made an unbeaten 143 with the visitors leading by 228 runs.

Hartley, who bowled a marathon 44 overs - only the second time he has got through 40 overs in a first-class innings - took two wickets while both Mahmood and Turner claimed a brace.

But in a final, frantic 30 minutes the Leicestershire bowlers made the most of the eight overs left by taking three wickets to ram home their advantage.

Keaton Jennings was bowled for 1 by Holland who then trapped nightwatchman Anderson Phillip lbw for 2.

To round off a great day for the visitors van Beek then bowled Jones for four leaving Bohannon (9 not out) and Marcus Harris (0 not out) to resume in the morning.



Head Coach Dale Benkenstein:

“I think we showed on day one it was a good toss for them to win. We would have bowled as well, and the ball went around quite a bit.

“I think they're also a confident side, they're playing good cricket. We knew we were going to be up against it these four days and that's going to be a good challenge really. I thought we actually battled really well.

“I think there was a stage there where it looked like they could have bowled us out for under 200. I think what was disappointing is then I felt we got into a position where we could have batted out the day yesterday and actually put on over 300. There were a couple of dismissals that were not really good balls with batters that were in.

“I think we didn't capitalize on fighting really hard, getting in a position where we could have maybe ended up with 300 and not had as many overs to bowl overnight.

“Obviously, it was a beautiful day today to bat.

“There were some positives,” he added. “Tommy Hartley bowling so many overs and bowling well, I think is a real plus for us.

[themaclad]

Rain had the final say in this Rothesay County Championship match against Leicestershire with just 24 overs possible on the fourth day with Lancashire finishing their second innings on 90 for three, 138 runs behind, with Marcus Harris 34 not out and Josh Bohannon unbeaten on 45.

But runs became unimportant once the weather had taken 72 overs out of the final day with Leicestershire needing seven wickets to force an unlikely result in the time available after play finally started at 4.30pm.

Apart from a couple of difficult chances to wicketkeeper Ben Cox there were few other scares for either Harris, who reached 12,000 first-class runs during his innings or Bohannon, and with eight overs left the players shook hands on the draw.



Lancashire take 11 points from the game and Leicestershire 15.

“I think when you look back at the four days, batting first on that surface was hard work,” said skipper Keaton Jennings.

“I thought to get to 263 was probably about par.

“We had opportunities to push ahead of the game and get above par but let them slide. And the same with the ball. I don't think we executed well enough.

“We chatted about it as a group. We missed too often. And obviously, they're going to get a big score as the wicket sort of levels out a bit.

“Last night was a crazy half an hour. Balls jumped and stayed low and all sorts. Where that came from, I'm not sure.

“Today, we were pretty clear with what we had to do. I thought Harry and Boshy went about that beautifully.



“Overall, it was frustrating. You feel like a bit of a stuck record coming in saying the same thing.

“I think with the ball we need to be more relentless, landing the ball in the right area often enough.

“You want guys getting hundreds, getting big hundreds, especially first innings. That's where the points are.

“We want to be playing that type of cricket first time round. We've seen Northampton and Leicester both put us under pressure with big first inning scores. We want to be the side doing that.

“It's cliched, but it's big scores and wickets that actually get you in a position to chase the game. You've got to make sure you're getting in and getting big scores first up.



“It’s partly down to being slightly more sporty surfaces here. We have tried to play around a little bit with the surface, leaving a bit more grass on it, trying to make sure that we can try and get results here.

“You've seen on day one, the ball jumped around. But it's no excuse. You want to be that guy on day one when the ball is going around that gets a hundred.

“That means you stick out as a batter, means you stick out in the group, and it means you've got your team to a seriously good target.

“When the wicket's flat, you want to be the bowler that gets a five-for, gets your team in a winning position. I think the belief is there. I think it's just the execution.

“I think the good thing is, when you look at it from our point of view, I suppose a positive spin is we haven't played our best cricket, but we're not a million miles off (the top).

“We haven't played good cricket. We've got a week now to correct it.

“The guys have got some time to reflect, learn and come with not a refreshed mindset, but a new outlook on what they want to do and how they want to do it. Time is good. You can't cheat time.

“Over the next week, the guys will put the hard yards in to try and make sure when we come back here to a home ground that we have historically played some really good cricket and we're in the best position to do that.

“We've got another million games of cricket this year, which is a good thing, but guys need to stay fit in your sides as you keep pushing through the season.

“ If you stay consistent, you stay good and you stay competitive with yourselves and with the opposition, you will come out near the top.

“One, we have to keep believing that, but two, we have to produce better when we cross that little white rope.”

[themaclad]

DAY 1

A second century of the season by Marcus Harris has helped put Lancashire in a strong position on the first day of this Rothesay County Championship match against Gloucestershire with the hosts closing on 342 for five.

Hurst and Josh Bohannon led an initial recovery with a 98-run stand after Ajeet Singh Dale took two early wickets to have Lancashire in early difficulties, before a big 212-run alliance between Harris and Matty Hurst sealed an excellent opening day for the home side.

Harris, who now has 559 runs for the season to become the leading run scorer in the competition, ended unbeaten on 165 while Hurst fell for an excellent 78 just before stumps.



The first hour of the day saw Gloucestershire made early inroads into the Lancashire top order with Singh Dale taking two wickets in a challenging five-over spell where he consistently beat the bat without reward. His luck changed when George Bell, having defended a short delivery, saw the ball spin back onto his stumps via his pad to be bowled for 10.



Keaton Jennings then edged an angled Singh Dale delivery to Cameron Bancroft at second slip for 4 with Lancashire in trouble on 23 for two.

In fact Gloucestershire’s dominance during the first hour was reflected by the fact just 35 runs had been scored by noon, but Josh Bohannon and Harris led a steady recovery from that point posting their fifty partnership from 76 balls with Bohannon also passing 5,000 first-class runs for Lancashire – the seventh fastest to do so – from 120 innings.



Bohannon was the first to reach his half century, off 96 balls, early in the afternoon was but then lbw for 56 when misjudging a pull against the spin of Ollie Price to end a valuable 98-run partnership.

Harris became the first Lancashire player to score five fifties in his first 7 innings for the club when he went to his half century from 106 balls moments later, and he forged an excellent alliance with Hurst that put Lancashire firmly in the ascendency either side of tea.

The pair picked up the scoring rate to reach their fifty partnership off 76 balls, with Harris moving on remorselessly to his 31st first-class century off 176 balls with a series of well-timed drives and pulls.



Hurst settled into a supporting role, contributing 37 runs to the century partnership while having a moment of anxiety when his top edge pull off Tom Price fell for six just over the fielder placed at fine leg before going to his fifty from 98 balls.

Harris pushed on, launching Ollie Price into the members seats in front of the pavilion, and looking in complete control when imperiously flicking Shaw over midwicket for six more.

The Australian overseas player was soon raising his bat again after taking just 47 balls to move from 100 to 150 (223 balls, 2 sixes, 14 fours) and the two hundred partnership arrived from 277 balls during the final half hour.

Zaman Akhter claimed two late wickets, having Hurst caught behind when the batter decided to pull out of a shot only for the ball to clip the toe of his upraised bat, and then Sajid Mahmood superbly yorked for 4 four balls later.

But it proved to be Harris’ day and Lancashire’s best day of the season thus far.

DAY 2

Lancashire and Gloucestershire remain locked in an even battle as both teams attempt to gain the advantage with the visitors on 184 for two in their first innings and trailing by 266 runs after two days of this Rothesay County Championship match at Emirates Old Trafford.

Lancashire had added 108 runs to their overnight score of 342 for five to be all out for 450 just after lunch with Ajeet Singh Dale the pick of the Gloucestershire bowlers finishing with three for 67 and Josh Shaw and Tom Price taking a brace apiece.

A century partnership for the third wicket between Ollie Price and Miles Hammond then helped Gloucestershire recover from a faltering 74 for two to reach the close in much better shape going into the third day.



Cameron Bancroft and Ben Charlesworth had an uncertain start when the visitors began their reply early in the afternoon in the face of some disciplined bowling from Tom Bailey and Saqib Mahmood.

But it was George Balderson, brought on as first-change, who made the breakthrough in an excellent seven-over spell of one for 19 that included his 100th first-class wicket when he bowled Bancroft between bat and pad for 18.



Charlesworth had produced a number of fierce pulls for four in advancing steadily through the afternoon to reach 43 until he was deceived by a nicely flighted delivery from Tom Hartley to drive a catch back to the bowler just before tea.

Ollie Price and Hammond dug in as Lancashire applied good pressure by bowling straight and offering few scoring opportunities with Hartley’s eleven over spell returning figures of one for 26 while Bailey and Mahmood were in a parsimonious mood at the opposite end.

But the Gloucestershire pair repelled everything that came their way before flourishing through the evening session, although Hammond had a close call when he edged Turner to Bell at first slip with the umpires ruling the ball had not carried.



The pair both reached their half centuries just before the close, Hammond from 87 balls and Price taking 119 deliveries with their unbroken partnership worth 110 runs by stumps.

With the new ball due in 18 overs time a critical passage of play beckons tomorrow morning.

At the start of this morning Gloucestershire had an early success when first day century-maker Marcus Harris bottom-edged a square cut off Singh Dale onto his stumps for 167 having added just two runs to his overnight score.

But Luke Wells twice drove Price for four to bring a third batting point and with Balderson alongside took Lancashire to the brink of a fourth only to be thwarted when lbw to Shaw for 38 in the 110th over with the Red Rose side 393 for seven when the cut-off for bonus points arrived four balls later.



Shaw also trapped Balderson in front for 6 but Hartley and Bailey combined well to push the score along in a nicely constructed ninth-wicket partnership of 49, Hartley driving to good effect in making 35.

Tom Price finally found some reward for plugging away throughout the innings when Hartley edged behind just after lunch and Turner was lbw next ball leaving Bailey unbeaten on 22.



“I think we bowled really well at the end and were a bit unlucky not to get a few more wickets,” said Tom Hartley.

“We stuck at it pretty well. We assessed the wicket and realised we had to go with a lot more straighter fields,” he added.

“It's not doing a whole lot out there. Obviously, a few spun, which was nice. But for the seamers, it was about being disciplined.

“And I think John Turner really bowled well in that last session and was unfortunate not to get a couple.

“But hopefully, we can come back tomorrow and finish the job off.



“I think, if we're being honest, maybe there was a few more runs out there (for us). A few batsmen would have thought their wickets were a bit soft, but that's just being critical on ourselves.

“But to get 450 on the board, it gives the bowlers a lot of confidence. And I think that showed with our bowling display today.”

“I was fairly happy (with how I bowled). I think my job on day two, first innings, is to try and hold a little bit. And I thought I did that.

“Hopefully in the morning, if I get a go before the new ball, I'll (aim to) pick up a couple more wickets and I'll say that's my job done.

“And there's a bit of rough that the seamers have kindly made for me.

“If we can take a few more wickets before the new ball tomorrow, I think we'll be in a good place.

DAY 3

A superb career-best unbeaten 253 by Ollie Price steered Gloucestershire to 589 for eight – their highest total against Lancashire – and a first innings lead of 139 runs on the third day of this Rothesay County Championship game at Emirates Old Trafford.

Tom Bailey and Tom Hartley each claimed a brace of wickets on a tough day in the field for Lancashire who will likely need to bat out the remainder of this match for a draw at some point tomorrow.

The tone for the day was set from the very first ball of the morning from George Balderson which Price straight drove for four.



Price and Miles Hammond quickly picked up where they left off the previous evening, with Gloucestershire resuming on 184 for two, by adding 93 fairly untroubled runs to their partnership from the opening 23 overs.

The breakthrough Lancashire desperately sought came six overs before lunch moments after Price had reached his century from 208 balls and his third wicket partnership with Hammond had produced 202 runs.

Hammond, on 97 and seeking to join his partner on three figures, had missed with three consecutive drives outside off stump from Bailey who promptly brought the fourth delivery back into the left hander to rip out his middle stump.



Lancashire were further encouraged when Bailey struck again early in the afternoon finding just enough movement to nip the ball past Cameron’s Green’s forward defence to hit off stump the ball after he had been driven superbly through cover for four by the batter.

That left Gloucestershire on 310 for four and the visitors consolidated their position with another good partnership of 85 runs between Price and James Bracey who twice clubbed Hartley for six in making 44 before edging Luke Wells to Keaton Jennings at first slip.

Price passed his career best, made against Yorkshire last year, when driving Wells for four to reach his 150 from 293 balls but lost Graeme van Buuren for 13 just before tea to a well-judged diving catch by Marcus Harris running in from fine leg after the batter had top-edged a pull when Balderson banged one in short with Gloucestershire 425 for six.

The moment of the day came soon after the break when Ollie Price, now joined by brother Tom, reached his double hundred off 358 balls (484 minutes, 28 fours) with a trademark drive through extra cover for two off John Turner, becoming only the third Gloucestershire batter to score a double century against Lancashire after Wally Hammond and Charlie Barnett.



The Prices took Gloucestershire past the Red Rose total with a partnership of 72 and after Tom gloved Turner to Jennings at slip for 32, Zaman Akhtar joined Ollie to accelerate the scoring with 60 runs added for the eighth wicket off 51 balls during the final hour of play.

Ollie Price capped a fine day when he reached 250 off 403 balls in the penultimate over.

“I think it’s just an unbelievable knock from a very talented and exciting young player,” said Red Rose Head Coach Dale Benkenstein.

“I think it's against the sort of grain of where England cricket's going, I suppose, everyone trying to play every shot in the book. Ollie is a traditional batsman, he gets runs, and when he gets in, he doesn't throw it away.

“He’s a very young player as well, so very exciting and just not great to be on the receiving end.”

Assessing the situation of the game, Benkenstein added:

“I think we've fought hard, and I was very pleased with the way we fielded, the energy, all the things that you asked for that are controllable.

I thought we created chances, it's a good wicket, but there's been enough bounce and carry there that I think has kept everyone in the game.



“There’s still a lot of cricket left in the game and we've obviously got to try and get these two wickets and then bat very well tomorrow to get a draw in the game.

“We really have to try and fight. It is a tough game, but just try and make it as hard as we can for them to get the runs and then we have to bowl them out and assume that the smaller the lead is, then the more the game is in our hands again.



“I think it probably shows now that if we had got probably 100 or more runs in our innings, we would have kept them in the field a bit longer and maybe made the game a bit more even.

“Credit to them, they've got themselves in a position where we're left to fight again.

“So, we've still got a bit of work to do tomorrow with the ball and then we've got to really get stuck in with the bat.”

DAY 4

Luke Wells and Tom Hartley produced a vital seventh wicket stand as Lancashire batted out the final day of this Rothesay County Championship match with Gloucestershire to seal a draw that maintained their unbeaten start to the season.

Gloucestershire declared on their overnight score of 589 for eight with a lead of 139 runs and had Lancashire in trouble at 89 for three before lunch and then again on 160 for six with 45 overs still to be bowled.

It was a fine attempt to force a result by the visitors but a defiant partnership of 69 from one ball short of 28 overs between Wells (36) and Hartley (37) either side of tea steered the Red Rose side to safety with Lancashire 255 for eight when the draw was agreed at 5.53pm with eight overs left.

Lancashire take 12 points from the match and Gloucestershire 13.



Gloucestershire skipper Cameron Bancroft would have been delighted with the response of his bowlers who were excellent in claiming three Lancashire wickets in the morning session on a fairly unresponsive pitch.

Keaton Jennings and George Bell began in sprightly fashion, posting a 50 partnership inside 11 overs that included a bizarre moment when an attempted slower ball from Josh Shaw bounced twice before Bell hammered it away through square leg for four.

But both openers departed in quick succession to slip catches by Bancroft without adding to the score, Bell off Tom Price for 28 and Jennings off Ajeet Singh Dale for 16.

First innings century-maker Marcus Harris began positively with four boundaries but became the third wicket to fall when he was dragged forward by left arm spinner Graeme van Buuren and stumped by James Bracey for 24.



With Lancashire firmly on the back foot at 89 for three, Josh Bohannon and Matty Hurst dug in to steady the innings with a partnership of 54 either side of lunch.

But just after the pair had taken Lancashire into the lead Tom Price removed them both, Hurst inside edging onto his stumps for 33 while Bohannon edged to Bancroft at second slip for 30 with the Red Rose side five wickets down and just 13 runs ahead.

When van Buuren had George Balderson caught behind for 2 with just under half the day’s allocation of overs left, Gloucestershire were in the driving seat with a realistic ambition they could win at Emirates Old Trafford for just the eighth time in 80 Championship matches.

They were thwarted by Wells and Hartley who both survived the odd scare, principally when Cameron Green at midwicket got fingertips to a fierce pull by Hartley off van Buuren early in his innings.



But both were solid in defence and attacked where possible, and by the time Wells became van Buuren’s third wicket when nicking one behind with Lancashire 90 runs ahead and 17 overs left, their partnership had effectively saved the game.

Hartley departed for 37 off 117 balls when edging behind off Singh Dale just before the close but Tom Bailey (9 not out) and Saqib Mahmood (0 not out) safely negotiated eight further deliveries before the players shook hands.

The result means Lancashire will be hunting a first win of the season when they travel to Northampton on Friday.



“I think we've batted better, and just missed out on batting bonus points, which the batting group has reflected on,” said Keaton Jennings reflecting on the match.

“I thought as a bowling group we were better this week, despite the outcome,” he added.

“But we always keep finding ourselves on the wrong side of, not the result, but the manner in which the result has come around.

“We need to be better; we need to produce better. Ultimately, that's the bottom line.

“I think we need to put ourselves under less pressure and bat better for longer periods of time.

“Essentially points get you promoted. We need to try and get every point we can. I think we probably messed up in that hour leading into trying to get to the (extra batting) bonus point. We left too much (to do), too late.

“Would that have made a key difference in the game? Maybe we wouldn't have put ourselves under the pressure we had today. But would it have changed the results in the game? Probably not. Would it have changed the pressure we felt today? Maybe.

“I think you have to be tough to beat as a starting point in order to go and win games of cricket. You don't want to be getting steamrolled every game.



“Last year we had won more games than we did the previous year, and we got relegated. So, we weren't tough to beat despite having won more games.

“But you still have to play good cricket in order to deserve the right to win games which we haven't done over the last four first class games.

“There's a challenge we've laid down to each other, to ourselves, to make sure we do. We want to win games. That's fundamentally how you get promoted.

“Things have to go your way a little bit. We keep putting ourselves under the pump, which doesn't help, but it is tough cricket. You've got to be so good for so long and just so razor sharp, which is what you want to be.

“We need to make sure that guys are sharp and playing good cricket. It's not just a matter of putting on a jersey and running out there and saying you represent Lancashire.

“That's not quite good enough. You need to make sure you are putting Lancashire in match-winning positions.”

[themaclad]

Day 1: Northamptonshire 238 v Lancashire 133 for three and trail by 105 runs



Lewis McManus led a spirited fightback with a fine 53 off 89 balls to rescue Northamptonshire after they suffered an early batting collapse on day one of this Rothesay County Championship match against Lancashire at Wantage Road.

All-rounder George Balderson took four for 55 and Anderson Phillip three for 65 as Lancashire’s attack obtained plenty of bounce and movement to reduce Northamptonshire to 67 for six before lunch after electing to bat. But keeper-batter McManus forged a series of enterprising partnerships with the tail to wrestle back the initiative. The last four wickets added 171 runs in 38 overs as Northamptonshire finished 238 all out, Liam Guthrie hitting 43 to register his highest first-class score.

Northamptonshire took two early wickets after tea, but Keaton Jennings hit a sparkling 41 off 45 balls, and with Marcus Harris making 53 not out (119 balls) in a sometimes nervy unbeaten stand of 74 with Matty Hurst (31), Lancashire closed on 133 for three trailing by 105.

Earlier Lancashire’s bowling discipline stood in contrast to some loose strokeplay from home batters, Ricardo Vasconcelos (39) the only top-order batter to prosper.

Will Williams (2-39) struck in the day’s second over, the ball flying off the splice of Luke Procter’s bat to gully. George Bartlett and James Sales took the score to 33 when Bartlett was adjudged caught at third slip off George Balderson. Sales cracked Phillip through extra cover for four, but the West Indian squared him up next ball as he edged low to Jennings at second slip.



Rob Keogh was next to go, pushing outside off-stump, caught low down by Marcus Harris at third slip.

Vasconcelos meanwhile was finding runs all around the wicket, hitting six over square-leg, driving and pulling comfortably before Phillip jagged one back to trap him lbw.

Three balls later Saif Zaib had a rush of blood, charging down the pitch to Balderson, edging to Jennings at second slip to leave Northamptonshire reeling.

Harrison (29) and McManus showed greater application ensuring no further wickets fell before lunch and extended their seventh-wicket partnership after the interval to 60. Harrison hit three boundaries, muscling Balderson through midwicket and punching through extra cover.

Lancashire shelled two catches in quick succession, with Harrison and McManus both benefiting. Phillip though returned to the attack to quickly break the partnership, nipping one back to take Harrison’s inside edge, keeper Hurst taking the catch.

Highlights

Ben Sanderson had some fun in a quickfire stand of 32 off 20 deliveries with McManus, driving square for four and edging over the slips for another boundary. He punched Willliams through cover before the bowler snared him lbw.

McManus was in excellent touch, driving pleasantly and particularly strong off his legs. He clipped Bailey square for four and whipped him in a similar direction for six.

He added 57 in 10 overs with Guthrie before falling in lowkey fashion, caught off the leading edge off Bailey, the ball ballooning up to Luke Wells running from mid-off.

Guthrie played offense. Facing Balderson, he smashed through midwicket and pulled a no ball for another boundary, departing when he hit the all-rounder straight to mid-on.



Guthrie then gave Northamptonshire the best start with the ball, trapping George Bell in front with his third delivery.

Bohannon has proved Northamptonshire’s nemesis averaging 83.77 against them and scoring 155 at Emirates Old Trafford last month. He was unable to extend that run further though, Harrison pulling off an incredible diving catch at third slip off Sanderson.

Jennings took four early boundaries off Guthrie, flaying Procter through deep extra cover and playing an exquisite late cut. He drove Procter down the ground to bring up Lancashire’s 50 in 12.5 overs but fell soon after, bowled by Australian quick Harry Conway, playing his first home game for Northamptonshire.

Harris looked less comfortable early doors, edging just in front of the keeper and wide of the slips and was dropped in the slips on 28. He started to hit his stride though with some handsome drives.

Dropped at short-midwicket before he had scored, Hurst played some attractive shots, cutting Harrison for four shortly before stumps.

[themaclad]

Marcus Harris continued his devastating form for Lancashire, recording his third century in nine innings on day two of this Rothesay County Championship match against Northamptonshire at Wantage Road.

The Australian international extended his tally as county cricket’s leading run scorer this season to 706 runs with a magnificent 121 (230 balls) including 18 boundaries, making Northamptonshire pay for a rash of dropped catches.

Harris stretched his overnight fourth-wicket partnership with keeper Matty Hurst (59) to 125 after both were dropped off difficult chances yesterday evening on 28 and 0 respectively. Liam Guthrie’s determined, probing seven-over spell this morning accounted for Hurst before Northamptonshire’s fielding again let them down, the slip cordon shelling three chances off his bowling, including Harris on 82.



A hostile Luke Procter (3-70) finally accounted for Harris and saw the Northamptonshire skipper move past 100 first-class wickets for the county before Harry Conway (3-48) wrapped up the tail. Lancashire closed on 276, taking a first-innings lead of 38.

Lancashire’s seamers were relentless on a wicket still offering assistance, with Northamptonshire stumbling to 65 for four before rallying. However, a wicket in the final saw them finish on 140 for six, their game hanging in the balance.

Earlier Hurst pulled Ben Sanderson for four to bring up the 100 partnership with Harris before reaching his own half-century off 94 deliveries. Harris was finding the boundary too, clipping Guthrie behind square and punching Harry Conway through point. Their partnership was finally broken when Hurst chopped a wide ball from Guthrie onto his stumps.

Luke Wells was reprieved on 0 when he pushed at a short ball outside off-stump from Guthrie only for James Sales to shell a simple catch at first slip.



Harris played a sumptuous on drive back past Guthrie for four but flashed at a wide one on 82, the ball flying to Ricardo Vasconcelos at second slip who parried the ball for four. The luckless Guthrie then squared up Wells, but Harrison could not hold onto a low chance at third slip.

Sales made amends with the ball, making the breakthrough when Wells (13) steered him straight to Saif Zaib at gully who held a sharp, tumbling catch.

Harris, meanwhile, duly advanced to his ton with a backfoot punch through backward point.

Procter struck on the stroke of lunch, nipping one back to pin George Balderson lbw and send Lancashire into the interval on 242 for six with a narrow four-run advantage. He snared a second soon after the beak when Tom Hartley was bowled, playing down the wrong line to another that nipped back.

Harris was struck on the head on 117 by a short ball from Procter but recovered to clip him stylishly off his toes through midwicket for four before his near three-hour vigil ended in Procter’s next over, the ball again nipping back to trap him lbw.

Conway made short work of the last two wickets, Anderson Phillip and Tom Bailey both failing to catches by a relieved Vasconcelos in the slips.



Bailey gave Lancashire a dream start with the ball though, drawing the edge of Vasconcelos’ bat with some late movement, the opener caught behind without scoring.

Will Williams then got one to rear up from back of a length to take the splice of George Bartlett’s bat, the ball flying to gully to leave Northamptonshire 19 for two.

Sales (27) joined Procter (23) in a gutsy stand of 42 to erase the deficit before they were parted. Procter edged Philip behind off the back foot before tea, with Sales following soon after the resumption, lbw to Balderson, trying to whip a straight one through midwicket, Northamptonshire now 65 for four.

Rob Keogh (28) and Zaib showed patience as they sought to rebuild, also adding 42, Keogh playing Williams through cover for four to take Northamptonshire past 100 in the 34th over before he departed turning Williams to Harris at short square leg.

Zaib (26 not out) however dug in admirably with first-innings half-centurion Lewis McManus (15), the pair adding 33 for the sixth wicket. Lancashire went into stumps elated though when Balderson had McManus caught behind in the day’s final over.

[themaclad]

WE ARE BOTTOM OF DIVISION 2



Leg-spinner Calvin Harrison turned the game with a decisive spell of four for 32 as Northamptonshire fought back to seal their first Rothesay County Championship win of the season against Lancashire.

Harrison, on a short-term loan from Nottinghamshire, dismissed Marcus Harris and Josh Bohannon in quick succession after the pair had guided the Red Rose county to 116 for two – almost halfway to their 236 victory target at Wantage Road.

That triggered a collapse, with seven wickets falling for 28 to leave Lancashire, winless at the foot of the Division Two table.

Earlier, Ben Sanderson scored 65 from 28 balls – his maiden half-century and the second fastest in the county’s red-ball history – sharing a ninth-wicket stand of 81 with Liam Guthrie as Northamptonshire rallied to post 273 in their second innings.

With their overnight lead at 102 and four wickets intact, the home side adopted a positive approach from the start as Saif Zaib hammered Anderson Phillip through the covers for successive fours.

Harrison took his cue from Zaib, hitting three boundaries as they built a partnership of 49 and the left-hander advanced to his half-century, having spent almost three hours at the crease overall.

When Tom Bailey slanted one across to have Zaib caught at slip, just two balls after Harrison had fallen lbw to Will Williams, Lancashire might have begun mentally preparing for the run chase – but Sanderson had other ideas.

Having survived a sharp chance to gully with just four to his name, Sanderson went on the offensive with a combination of straight drives, square cuts and slashes over the slips, as well as flaying Williams past long-on for six.

A miscued pull off Phillip that looped to deep square leg eventually sent Sanderson back to the dressing-room, accompanied by warm applause before Guthrie holed out for 16 in the bowler’s next over.

That left the visitors to chase 236 and Keaton Jennings seemed in a rush, hitting a trio of leg-side fours in the first over after lunch only to be fall victim to a smart catch by James Sales at square leg off Guthrie.

Opening partner George Bell soon followed, snapped up at short midwicket by Zaib and, with over 200 still required, Bohannon and Harris had to maintain their composure and regroup.

Harris, who had top-scored with a hundred in the first innings, looked well set for another big score as he lifted Lancashire’s total into three figures with a clinical cover-driven four off Sanderson.

The pair added 83 but Northamptonshire’s decision to bring Harrison on before tea paid dividends as the leg-spinner prised out both the set batters, with Harris (43) lured down the track for a stumping and Bohannon (41) leg before pushing forward uncertainly.

Those dismissals sandwiched that of Matty Hurst, who lost his off stump to a beauty from Harry Conway – and Harrison struck again in the first over after the interval, turning one to bowl Luke Wells through the gate.

Conway and Sanderson collected a wicket apiece and Phillip’s top edge provided Harrison with a routine return catch for his fourth scalp before Guthrie (three for 34) had Williams caught behind to end Lancashire’s late resistance.

[themaclad]

Jennings resigns as captain

[themaclad]

Luke Wells led Lancashire’s batting effort with a fabulous century as the hosts made 250 for five on the opening day of this Rothesay County Championship match against second-placed Derbyshire at sunny Emirates Old Trafford.

Marcus Harris contributed 45 to a century partnership with Wells on his first day as Lancashire captain to help the Red Rose recover from an early setback to take his season total to 794 runs after his counterpart Wayne Madsen put Lancashire into bat.

Wells and Matty Hurst then added another century stand during the evening session before both fell late in the day to Ben Aitchison who finished with three wickets to help even things up for the visitors.



Wells had relinquished the openers role for the last two Championship matches of 2024 in an effort to help shore up Lancashire’s faltering middle order and he had continued in that role this season until today.

The left-hand batter instantly settled back into a more familiar role but had to cope with the early departures of Keaton Jennings, out for 2 to a good catch low down to his right at second slip by Madsen off Tickner, and Josh Bohannon who got a faint edge to a leg side delivery from Aitchison that was taken by wicketkeeper Brooke Guest for 3.

Kiwi quick Tickner found some early movement to pose all the batters some problems, but Wells and Harris passed that test to prosper during the second hour with a series of good drives, Wells the chief aggressor making 40 of Lancashire’s 67 for two by lunch.



The pair continued to rebuild steadily after the break, Wells going to his half century from 94 balls with 8 fours while Harris drove to great effect before falling to a great catch by Madsen at second slip off Tickner forty minutes into the afternoon to end a 103-run partnership.

Hurst had an eventful start to his innings, taking 10 runs off the first four deliveries from Tickner but then nearly playing on when the ball spun back but just missed the stumps. The wicketkeeper/batter settled in to provide Wells with strong support either side of tea.

Opener Wells drove his 13th four off Jack Morley to go to his 27th first-class century and 9th for Lancashire from 212 balls as he and Hurst dominated the evening session.



Wells greeted the arrival of the new ball with a glorious drive for four off Tickner to pass his highest score at Emirates Old Trafford while Hurst straight drove Aitchison to reach his half century from 129 balls before bowled for 51 by an excellent delivery two balls later, ending a 121-run stand.

Aitchison (3 for 51) then prised Wells out for 141 (270 balls, 19 fours) with a steepling delivery that flew off the shoulder of the bat to Caleb Jewell at gully after the previous ball had kept low. It was also Wells’ highest score opening the batting for Lancashire on this ground.

The two Georges, Bell and Balderson batted out the remaining six overs to take Lancashire to a first batting point in the match and they will resume tomorrow on 4 and 1 respectively.

“Obviously (I’m) pleased to get a score,” said Luke Wells.

“I actually called Benky the other day asking to go back up the order.

“I did have opportunities to win a couple of games in run chases batting at six, so I did have opportunities to impact the team there and was disappointed that I didn't get a match-winning contribution score,” he added.

“You just want to take some responsibility, and for me that meant going back up and doing what I've done for most of my career. I would never get used to batting at six.

“But I just felt, especially when everyone's under pressure, we haven't got the results we wanted.

“I'd rather go to what I know best, having done that for the majority of my career.



“It paid off and the game is such a funny one because, you know, narratives completely change according to the result and what happens. Dropped second ball or whatever, that gets caught, (it’s a) whole different narrative.

“Constantly you're being judged as part of our world. Things go your way; you get 141 and the whole narrative changes. So obviously I'm very happy.

“I'm very level about it as well. We're desperate to try and force a result. We obviously couldn't score at a really high rate today, but I thought we battled really hard on a pitch that did a bit early and then got hard to score during the middle.

“I was quite disappointed to not bat through the whole day as I wasn't finished and wanted to get some more.

“I thought they bowled really well in patches, especially Blair Tickner. I thought he was really impressive today. He bowled quick and swung it both ways.”

Looking ahead to tomorrow Wells added:

“The two Georges, they've got to set their stall outs again.

“Bat most of the day, go get hundreds, go get 30-100s for each other, for themselves, for the team.

“Let's get a really big score on the board and with Jimmy back in the ranks let's see what we can do.”