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Landmark centuries from Keaton Jennings and Chris Green revived Lancashire on the first day of the Rothesay County Championship Division Two match against Derbyshire at Chesterfield.
Jennings passed 12,000 first-class runs on his way to 106 while Green celebrated his maiden red ball hundred as Lancashire recovered from 132 for 6 to 367 all out.

The pair shared a seventh wicket stand of 106 in 28 overs with Jennings scoring his 33rd first-class century before falling to Zak Chappell who took 4 for 73.

Green was crucially dropped on nine but played a controlled attacking innings to score 121 which contained 20 fours and a six to turn the day in Lancashire’s favour.

With Jimmy Anderson leading Lancashire and Wayne Madsen skippering the hosts, it was the first time in a Derbyshire game since 1974 that both captains were over 40.



There was certainly a vintage feel to the cricket after Anderson chose to bat on a grassy pitch with the visitors made to work for every run against testing seam bowling.

Derbyshire’s discipline was rewarded in the fourth over of a hot and humid morning when Luke Wells was drawn into driving at Ben Aitchison and was caught low down at first slip.

Such was the accuracy of the bowling that it was not until the 11th over that Josh Bohannon cut Blair Tickner for the first boundary and although he dispatched the next ball through mid-wicket for four, he then fell to Aitchison.

Bohannon got a good ball that straightened to take the edge but poor shot selection accounted for the wickets of Ashton Turner and Matty Hurst as Lancashire slipped to 44 for 4.

It was just as well for the visitors that Jennings was displaying good judgement, batting out of his crease to counter any movement, and at lunch was well set on 41.

Michael Jones had also established a platform but in the third over of the afternoon, he glanced Tickner only for Brooke Guest to take a superb diving catch.



When George Balderson edged Anuj Dal to second slip, Lancashire were in trouble at 132 for 6 and may not have recovered had Mitch Wagstaff not dropped Green on nine at mid-wicket.

Derbyshire were left to regret that as Green pulled Tickner for six to reach his maiden first-class 50 for Lancashire from 80 balls.

Jennings completed his century in the next over and at tea, the outlook for Lancashire was far rosier at 238 for six.

The stand was broken four balls into the evening session when Chappell brought one back to bowl Jennings but Lancashire’s resistance was far from over.

Green drove handsomely through the offside and with Jack Blatherwick lending more than capable support to pass his previous best score of 35, the 300 came up before the second new ball accounted for Blatherwick.

Green was dropped again on 98, a return catch to Dal, but thoroughly deserved a hundred that transformed his team's fortunes.

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Jimmy Anderson gave another impressive demonstration of the fast bowler’s art as Lancashire took control of the Rothesay County Championship match on day two against Derbyshire at Chesterfield.
The former England great struck twice in his opening burst and bowled two more spells in sweltering heat to finish with 2 for 45 from 13 overs.

George Balderson was the visitors most successful bowler claiming 4 for 71 with wicketkeeper Matty Hurst taking five catches.

Martin Andersson made 79 and Wayne Madsen 70 but Derbyshire were bowled out for 261 to trail by 106 and at the close, Lancashire were 114 for 1, a lead of 220.



Anderson with the new ball was always going to be key to Lancashire’s hopes and he duly delivered, removing both openers in his first three overs.

Running in from the Lake End at Queen’s Park for the first time in his career, the 42-year-old’s control and movement was too much for Mitch Wagstaff and Caleb Jewell.

After leaving several deliveries, Wagstaff shouldered arms to one that came back and was struck in front with only two on the board.

Jewell was similarly deceived in Anderson’s next over, playing no stroke to a ball that knocked out his off stump.

Despite the conditions, Lancashire’s captain bowled a seven over spell, his longest of the season, no doubt in the hope of removing another evergreen but Madsen survived.

Harry Came did not, caught behind down the legside off Balderson to reduce Derbyshire to 35 for 3 but that was Lancashire’s last success of the morning.

Madsen imposed himself on the bowlers and with Brooke Guest adopting a more circumspect approach, the hosts recovered well to reach 109 for 3 at lunch.

But as on the first day, wickets fell after an interval with Guest another victim of a legside strangle before Balderson got the big wicket of Madsen.

The Derbyshire captain was beaten by a ball that cut back to trap him in front and Lancashire should have removed Andersson in the next over.



Anderson was the frustrated bowler, seeing an edge fly to second slip where Keaton Jennings could not hold on.

It proved an expensive drop as Andersson played positively, reaching his 50 with his eighth four, a cover drive off Chris Green, but Lancashire plugged away in the sauna-like heat to chip away the lower order.

Anu Dal became the third batsmen to fall offering no shot and after Andersson was dropped in the gully on 57 Zak Chappell was run out in a mix-up

Ben Aitchison lasted only three balls and after Andersson was caught behind cutting at Green, Blair Tickner swung Balderson for a big six before Hurst took his fifth catch.

Luke Wells and Keaton Jennings drove home Lancashire’s advantage and although Dal straightened one to bowl Wells, Jennings followed his first innings century with an unbeaten 51 to put his side on course for a substantial lead.

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Ashton Turner scored his second century in three innings to put Lancashire on course for what would be a first Rothesay County Championship victory of the season in the Division Two match against Derbyshire at Chesterfield.
The Australian made an unbeaten 121 from 135 balls and was well supported by George Balderson, 82 off 60, and 63 from Michael Jones before Lancashire declared on 406 for 6, with Ben Aitchison taking 3 for 64.

That set the hosts the small matter of 513 which would be their highest ever fourth innings total but by the close they were 139 for 3, still 374 runs away.

Lancashire began the day already well placed with a lead of 220 but Aitchison sent a tremor through the foundations with three wickets in an eight over spell from the Lake End.

Josh Bohannon was drawn into pushing at one that did enough to take the edge before Keaton Jennings aimed a big drive and was given out caught behind although his reaction suggested he did not think he made contact.



When Matty Hurst was lbw to one that kept slightly low, Derbyshire sensed there might be an opening but first Turner and Jones and then Balderson emphatically reasserted Lancashire’s authority.

Turner pulled Aitchison for six on his way to a 67 ball fifty while Jones was even more dominant, reaching his half century, which contained two maximums, from only 41 balls.

But it was the running between the wickets as much as the boundary count that hurt Derbyshire with the pair finding the gaps at will to cruise along at more than six an over.

Jones swept Mitch Wagstaff for another six and was eying a fourth until Aitchison at deep mid wicket knocked the ball up for Zak Chappell to complete a smart relay catch.

But by lunch, Lancashire’s lead was 377 and that soared as Balderson engaged the turbo, racing to a 42 ball fifty before Turner drove Wagstaff for his 10th four to reach a fine hundred from 124 deliveries.

The lead was over 500 when Balderson drove Martin Andersson to cover, ending a stand of 157 in 21 overs, which was the signal for Lancashire to declare leaving Derbyshire a highly improbable target.



A more realistic proposition was to hold out for a draw but they lost Caleb Jewell in the fifth over when he was squared up by Jimmy Anderson and caught at third slip.

It was the fourth time this season that Anderson has dismissed Jewell who, as an Australian, is in good company.

That was Lancashire’s last success for 24 overs as Wagstaff and Harry Came stood firm with the latter twice stroking Anderson for two boundaries after tea.

But the odd ball was keeping low and Balderson broke the stand when he squeezed one through Wagstaff’s defence and Came went in the next over, caught behind pushing at Tom Bailey.

Derbyshire’s position would have been even more parlous if Wayne Madsen on eight and Brooke Guest on 14 had not been dropped in the slips but Lancashire remain strong favourites to complete the job on the final day.

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LANCASHIRE WIN A 4 DAY GAME SHOCK

George Balderson ended Lancashire’s red ball drought when he bowled them to a crushing 261 run victory over Derbyshire in the Rothesay County Championship match at Chesterfield.
The all-rounder took 4 for 54 and eight in the game as the Red Rose finally celebrated a first championship victory of the season with Derbyshire dismissed for 251 which ended their unbeaten run in Division Two.

Set an improbable 513, skipper Wayne Madsen made an unbeaten 95 and Brooke Guest 46 but once the fourth wicket pair were parted, the hosts collapsed with Tom Bailey taking the last two wickets to finish with 3 for 39.

The grey clouds over Queen’s Park suggested the conditions were good for the bowlers, especially Jimmy Anderson, and although the bat was beaten, Derbyshire survived the first hour in relative comfort.

Madsen eased Anderson to the cover boundary on his way to his second fifty of the match which came off 86 balls and when the former England fast bowler failed to take a wicket in his four over opening spell, Derbyshire had achieved their first objective of the morning.



With Anderson out of the attack, Madsen and Guest kept the board ticking over without taking any risks and the stand was worth 127 in 18 overs when Lancashire finally broke through.

The decision to bring on Chris Green at the Lake End was rewarded when Guest tried to shovel the off spinner through mid-wicket, missed, and was lbw.

That would have come as a relief to Lancashire who might have been starting to get a little anxious but they were soon celebrating again.

Martin Andersson had top scored in the first innings but this time he got a good ball from Balderson that straightened to take the off stump.

The morning got even better for the visitors when Anuj Dal, who has figured in several Derbyshire rearguard actions, tried to whip Green off his legs and was bowled.



When Balderson again found just enough seam movement to bowl Zak Chappell, Madsen was in danger of being stranded and he saw another wicket fall in the last over of the session.

Ben Aitchison edged Balderson low to second slip where Green took a good catch which meant Derbyshire had lost 5 for 33 in 11 overs.

Madsen went into lunch unbeaten on 78, his eighth 50 in 15 innings this season, and it was now a question of whether he could convert that into three figures.

He was denied by Bailey with the new ball which accounted for Blair Tickner and Jack Morley with Anderson taking the catch at third slip which sparked Lancashire’s long awaited celebrations.

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Lancashire 290 for 6 (Hurst 105*, Zaman 4-64) vs Gloucestershire

Matty Hurst registered a career-best innings of 105 not out to keep Lancashire afloat on the opening day of the Rothesay County Championship Second Division match against Gloucestershire at Cheltenham.


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On a day when a majority of the recognized batsmen played themselves in but failed to go on, the 21-year-old right-hander from Billinge proved the exception to that rule, facing 165 balls, striking 10 fours and two sixes and sharing in a revitalizing unbeaten stand of 81 with Chris Green for the seventh wicket as Lancashire reached stumps on 290 for 6. Hurst surpassed his previous highest score of 104 made against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge in May 2024, while Green offered staunch support, reaching the close on 28 not out.

Although Gloucestershire deployed spinners for 43 of the 91 overs possible on a rain-affected day, it was pace bowler Zaman Akhter who enjoyed most success, the England A international claiming 4 for 64 as the home side took wickets at regular intervals to maintain pressure on their opponents. Making his first appearance at the Cheltenham Festival, Australian Test spinner Todd Murphy also caught the eye in returning figures of 1 for 53 from 25 overs.

Charged with the unenviable task of creating wicket-taking opportunities with the Kookaburra ball, Gloucestershire's bowlers were further inconvenienced by the tight hamstring that forced pace fulcrum Merchant de Lange out of the attack after just two overs. His replacement at the Chapel End, Akhter extracted sufficient movement to locate the thinnest of edges and have Luke Wells caught behind for 18 as an opening spell characterised by much playing and missing culminated in Lancashire losing their first wicket with 28 on the board.

With the ball already softening and becoming less responsive, Gloucestershire captain Cameron Bancroft called upon Todd Murphy's off breaks in the fourteenth over, the advent of spin serving to slow the rate of scoring as Keaton Jennings and Josh Bohannon both treated the Australian Test bowler with the utmost caution. Murphy eventually lured Jennings, who had chiseled a patient 32 from 79 deliveries, into front-foot indiscretion, Miles Hammond taking a superb diving catch at slip to remove the former England opener with the score 75 for 2 shortly before lunch.

The stage then appeared set for a period of uninterrupted accumulation as Bohannon produced the shot of the day so far, pulling de Lange through mid-wicket for a thunderous boundary to raise three figures. He and Marcus Harris advanced the score to 105 for 2 without incident and it seemed that only rain could impede northern progress.

Sure enough, a prolonged shower forced the players off and, having finally lost de Lange to injury following a further three tentative overs from the Chapel End, Gloucestershire were glad of an opportunity to regroup. Certainly, the home side profited from a 45-minute break in play, which caused the loss of five overs, striking a crucial blow immediately following the resumption. Without having added to his score of 39, Bohannon succumbed to a loss of concentration, giving Graeme van Buuren's slow left arm the charge and being comprehensively stumped by James Bracey as Lancashire slipped to 106 for 3.

Lancashire continued to be their own worst enemies thereafter, Hurst surviving a run-out chance to Joe Phillips, whose throw from extra cover narrowly missed, following a moment of confusion with Harris. The incident may well have been playing on Harris's mind when he attempted to pull the next ball, only to top-edge a return catch to Akhter and depart for 29 with the score 142 for 4.

Making his first Championship appearance since September 2023, Phil Salt announced himself with a brace of off-driven fours at the expense of Akhter to suggest a change in tempo. But his stay proved short-lived, the England T20 international pursuing an Akhter delivery outside off stump and falling to a brilliant one-handed diving catch from Bracey as Lancashire further declined to 160 for 5. Overcoming the loss of his fast bowling spearhead, Bancroft marshalled his resources with no little skill as Gloucestershire took the session. Lancashire only had themselves to blame.

Sorely in need of a partnership of substance, the red rose county were indebted to Hurst and Balderson, who applied themselves diligently to the task of redressing the balance after tea. Balderson lifted van Buuren over the long-on boundary rope to serve notice of forthright intention, while Hurst went to a workmanlike half century from 96 balls, with 6 fours and a six as the partnership began to blossom, aided and abetted by an old ball and tiring attack.


When Akhter, returning at the Chapel End, located Balderson's outside edge and the dependable Bracey held onto another catch behind, it felt as though Gloucestershire had accrued a bonus. Balderson contributed 26 in a stand of 49, the biggest of the innings so far. With the new ball due in another nine overs and Lancashire occupying uncertain territory at 209-6, the home side again had a spring in their step.

Akhter and Ajeet Singh Dale strained every sinew to make further inroads with the new ball, only to be met by obdurate resistance from Hurst and Green, these two posting a 50 partnership from 91 balls for the seventh wicket and securing a batting bonus point into the bargain.

There was just time remaining for Hurst to go to his hundred via 162 balls, hitting Ollie Price through long-on for four to bring an appreciative Festival audience of more than 2,000 to their feet.

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Gloucestershire 179 for 1 (Charlesworth 104*, Phillips 60*) trail Lancashire 557 (Green 160, Hartley 130, Hurst 106, Zaman 4-85) by 378 runs

Chris Green and Tom Hartley produced record-breaking performances with the bat as Lancashire assumed the upper hand on day two of the Rothesay County Championship Second Division match against Gloucestershire at the College Ground, Cheltenham.


Both made their highest individual first-class scores, Green raising a superb 160 from 199 balls with 13 fours and eight sixes, and Hartley 130 via 153 deliveries with 14 fours and six sixes as the Red Rose county posted a formidable 557 in their first innings. Together, the pair staged Lancashire's biggest ever ninth-wicket partnership of 212, eclipsing a long-standing record set by Australians Les Poidevine and Alexander Kermode in a match against Sussex in Eastbourne way back in 1907.

Opening-day centurion Matty Hurst made a career-best 106, while Gloucestershire seamer Zaman Akhter and spinner Graeme van Buuren claimed figures of 4 for 85 and 3 for 117 respectively as their side waged a campaign of damage limitation on an essentially sound if slow Festival pitch.

Demonstrating character aplenty, Ben Charlesworth and Joe Phillips launched a spirited counter-attack thereafter, staging an impressive unbroken alliance of 159 in 43.3 overs as Gloucestershire reached the close on 179 for 1, trailing by 378 runs. Charlesworth produced a dazzling display of stroke-play to score the fastest century of the match so far and finish on 104 not out, while Phillips played the supporting role to perfection, posting a stubborn undefeated 60 from 135 deliveries to dampen Lancashire's hopes of forcing a second consecutive victory in the red-ball format.

Again without the services of injured paceman Marchant de Lange, Gloucestershire deployed four spinners, van Buuren taking two wickets in four balls to check northern progress after Lancashire resumed on 290 for 6.

Hurst had added just one run to his overnight career-best 105 when he pursued a wide delivery and sliced to Akhter at backward point, while Jack Blatherwait miss-timed a drive and skied to mid-off as the visitors slipped to 302 for 8.

That was as good as it got for Gloucestershire. Pulling and driving with growing confidence, Green raised 50 from 87 balls and, together with Hartley, helped secure a third batting bonus point. Putting Todd Murphy under pressure for the first time, Green pulled the Australian Test spinner for two successive sixes over mid-wicket, in the process causing some among a healthy Festival audience to seek cover. No slouch himself and especially strong off the back foot, Hartley also opened his shoulders to good effect as the eighth wicket alliance realised 50 inside 12 overs.

Green raised the hundred partnership in 151 balls with an imposing six over square leg off Singh Dale as Lancashire went past 400.Hartley brought up his 50 via 78 balls with a single on the leg side off Singh Dale as Lancashire reached lunch on 415 for 8. Their partnership was already the highest for the ninth wicket for Lancashire in matches against Gloucestershire, improving upon the 107 staged jointly by Billy Tyldesley and Bill Huddlestone at the Spa Ground, Gloucester in 1914 and by Alan Wharton and Malcolm Hilton at Blackpool in 1951.

Tom Hartley celebrates his maiden first-class hundred, Gloucestershire vs Lancashire, County Championship, Cheltenham, July 23, 2025
Tom Hartley celebrates his maiden first-class hundred•Getty Images
Green went to his hundred from 156 balls in the first over after lunch, the Australian driving Murphy through the off-side for the ninth four of an increasingly authoritative innings. When Hartley nudged a ball from Murphy into the covers and ran a single to move the score onto 445 for 8, he and Green had established a new Lancashire record ninth-wicket partnership. The occasion was marked by a gentle ripple of applause from a small handful of aficionados in front of the pavilion.

By now slog-sweeping with impunity, Green plundered a further two sixes off Murphy to establish his highest first class score, surpassing the 121 made against Derbyshire at Chesterfield last month. Not to be upstaged, Hartley posted a career-best score of his own moments later, eclipsing the 73 not out made against Essex at Chelmsford in 2023. Green's sixth six at the expense of Murphy carried him to a maiden 150 and, six runs later, he claimed the highest score by a Lancashire number eight, eclipsing the 155 mustered by Wasim Akram and Glenn Chapple in 1998 and 2001 respectively.


Amid the blizzard of landmarks was a small success for the home side, Charlesworth bowling Green to offer respite. It proved short-lived, Hartley driving Charlesworth to the long-off boundary to register his maiden hundred from 145 balls with his 13th four later in the same over. The England spinner then launched a murderous offensive, smashing a further 29 runs in eight balls, including a quartet of sixes, before hoisting Charlesworth to long-off.

Gloucestershire's suffering continued, Cameron Bancroft shuffling in front of a straight delivery from Jimmy Anderson as the home side lost their first wicket with 20 on the board. Charlesworth and Joe Phillips mustered stubborn resistance thereafter, as tea was taken with the score 59 for 1.Charlesworth then went to a 54-ball half century in style, straight-driving Hartley for six as the second wicket pair continued to frustrate the bowling in the final session.

Phillips offered staunch support, eschewing risk and compiling steadily as the Kookaburra ball softened. The hundred partnership occupied 161 balls, after which Charlesworth allowed his natural attacking instincts to take over, the 24-year-old left hander going to his fourth career first-class hundred from just 123 balls with 16 fours and a six. Rather more sedate in his approach, Phillips raised a chanceless 50 from 111 deliveries.

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Gloucestershire 381 (Charlesworth 160, Phillips 64, Hartley 6-116) and 98 for 0 (Charlesworth 61*) trail Lancashire 557 by 78 runs

Tom Hartley produced another stellar performance to put the skids under Gloucestershire as Lancashire made the running on day three of the Rothesay County Championship match at the College Ground, Cheltenham.


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Having posted a career-best innings of 130 with the bat on day two, the England slow left-armer returned notable figures of 6 for 116 - his best for Lancashire - to again steal the Festival show. Replying to Lancashire's mammoth 557, the home side were dismissed for 381, conceding a first-innings deficit of 176.

Ben Charlesworth staged an outstanding season's-best knock of 160 and Joe Phillips weighed in with 64 as Gloucestershire advanced confidently to 296 for 3. But Hartley then induced a collapse which saw the hosts lose their last seven wickets for 85 runs in 26 overs.

Lancashire captain James Anderson enforced the follow-on and Gloucestershire made a better fist of things second time around, Cameron Bancroft and Charlesworth safely negotiating 30 overs to stage an unbroken opening stand of 98. Gloucestershire still trail by 78 runs and Bancroft (35 not out) and Charlesworth (61 not out) will be called upon to muster further resistance on a pitch offering some assistance to spin when they return in the morning.

The day had begun full of hope for Gloucestershire. Resuming on 179 for 1, Charlesworth and Phillips set a new county record partnership for the second wicket in matches against Lancashire, eclipsing the 160 registered by Bill Athey and Paul Romaines at Bristol in 1984. Phillips perished soon afterwards, superbly held at short square leg by Keaton Jennings off the bowling of Chris Green as Lancashire effected an early breakthrough and terminated a profitable alliance of 171 in 47.3 overs.

Charlesworth and Ollie Price applied themselves diligently to the task of cussed defiance and, in between performing the hard yards, these two took advantage of sufficient poor balls to post a half-century stand from 104 balls. Desperate to make something happen, Lancashire were indebted to Hartley, who persuaded Price to slice a cut shot to Luke Wells at backward point in the 72nd over. Price had contributed 31 to a stand of 58 for the third wicket, and Gloucestershire were 249 for 3, still 308 runs behind and with further graft required. Charlesworth was joined by Cheltenham-born Miles Hammond and these two advanced the score to 259 for 3 by lunch.

With the new ball available upon the resumption, Anderson returned at the Chapel End, only for Hammond to greet him with an off-driven four and another boundary behind square. Charlesworth then crunched the former England man through the covers off the back foot to bring up his 150 from 233 balls with his 20th four.

But Charlesworth's resistance ended soon afterwards, the 24-year-old left hander inexplicably advancing down the pitch to Hartley and being stumped by Phil Salt with the score 296 for 4. His dismissal sparked an alarming collapse in which the home side lost six wickets for the addition of 62 runs in 21.1 overs.

Hammond had traded almost exclusively in boundaries, his brisk 36 including six fours and a six, when he miscued an attempted drive and offered a return catch to Hartley. On a roll by now, Hartley struck again in his next over, dismissing Graeme van Buuren lbw without scoring, before persuading James Bracey to pop a catch up to short square leg to complete a remarkable five-wicket haul.


Having seen their middle order blown away by Hartley, Gloucestershire's tailend fared no better against Lancashire's back-up spinners. Zaman Akhter fell lbw to Green and Ajeet Singh Dale succumbed in near-identical fashion to Wells' legbreaks. Hindered by a hamstring strain, Marchant de Lange emerged with Phillips as a runner and the big man suggested a possible escape route for Gloucestershire by smiting two huge sixes. But Hartley returned to have the South African held in the deep, leaving Todd Murphy high and dry on 22 not out, as the hosts fell 27 short of saving the follow on.

Bancroft and Charlesworth restored calm during a final session that, in stark contrast to what had gone before, failed to yield a single dismissal. Watchful in the face of a new-ball examination at the hands of Anderson, Gloucestershire's openers initially focused their efforts on occupying the crease and taking up time. But as Lancashire's bowlers began to tire, so the opening partnership flourished.

Picking up where he left off in the first innings, Charlesworth went to 50 from 64 balls with seven fours and a six, his antics causing the threat of further collapse to recede into the distance. His captain proved rock-solid, Bancroft chiseling an unbeaten 35 from 86 balls to serve notice that Gloucestershire remain in the fight.

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Lancashire 557 (Green1 60, Hartley 130, Hurst 106) and 110 for 1 (Jennings 57*) beat Gloucestershire 381 (Charlesworth 160, Phillips 64, Hartley 6-116) and 285 (Charlesworth 71, Phillips 56, Hartley 5-99) by nine wickets

Man-of-the-match Tom Hartley produced another career-best performance to propel Lancashire to a hard-earned nine-wicket victory over Gloucestershire at Cheltenham and keep alive their hopes of winning promotion back to Division One of the Rothesay County Championship.


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Having previously staged his highest score of 130 and taken 6 for 116 to put his team in control, the England slow left-armer claimed 5 for 99 on the final day of an entertaining match at the famous old College Ground as the red rose county made it two wins out of three in the red-ball format under the new leadership team of interim head coach Steve Croft and captain James Anderson.

Made to follow on, Gloucestershire were dismissed for 285 in 98 overs in their second innings, Hartley finishing with match figures of 11 for 215 after Ben Charlesworth and Joe Phillips had scored 71 and 56 respectively for the home side. Chris Green weighed in with 2 for 62 as spin accounted for seven wickets on a surface offering some assistance.

Set 110 to win in 26 overs, Lancashire chased down their target for the loss of Luke Wells with five overs to spare, courtesy of an authoritative unbroken second wicket partnership of 103 between Keaton Jennings and Josh Bohannon. Confronted by four spinners as Gloucestershire dispensed with seam, Jennings top-scored with a brisk 57 not out from 67 balls, while the equally forthright Bohannon faced 50 deliveries in raising an undefeated 45 as the visitors eased to victory in the final hour.

Lancashire took 22 points to move into fourth place in Division Two, in the process leapfrogging Gloucestershire, who settled for five points after sustaining their third defeat of the season.

Gloucestershire resumed their second innings on 98 without loss, still 78 in arrears and potentially vulnerable to a repeat of the collapse that undermined their first innings. It was incumbent upon openers Cameron Bancroft and Charlesworth to build upon their good start on a pitch that was offering some assistance to spin, but which was not expected to break up.

If Gloucestershire's minimum requirement was to bat two sessions, Lancashire were reading from an altogether different script, Anderson claiming the prized scalp of Bancroft in the opening over, the Australian edging to midwicket without adding to his overnight score of 35.

Having seen off Anderson, Charlesworth was no doubt disappointed to then succumb to George Balderson in his first over from the Chapel Lawn End. Attempting a back-foot flick, Gloucestershire's first-innings centurion found Marcus Harris at short midwicket and departed for 71 with the score 129 for 2. Guilty of poor shot selection, Ollie Price then pursued a wide delivery from Hartley that bounced off a length and edged to Luke Wells at slip, at which point Gloucestershire were 134 for 3, still 42 in arrears, having lost three wickets in the first hour.

They came close to losing another in the next over, Miles Hammond standing his ground and being afforded the benefit of the doubt when Jennings claimed a catch at short square leg off the bowling of Hartley. The reprieve proved temporary, Green pinning Hammond lbw for 22 in the final over before lunch, which was taken with the score 168 for 4. Representing Gloucestershire's best chance of saving the game, Phillips remained unbeaten on 35.

He was joined by James Bracey and these two wiped out the remaining arrears early on in the afternoon session, Phillips going to a hard-earned 50 from 91 balls with his eighth four. But Lancashire continued to take wickets, Jack Blatherwick angling a short delivery into the body of Bracey, who was unable to get his bat out of the way and edged behind. His departure was a blow for Gloucestershire, who were in effect 21 for 5 with 57 overs left in the day.


An even bigger blow befell the home side when Phillips' vigil came to an end soon afterwards, the Cornishman held by the safe hands of Jennings at short leg off the bowling of the ubiquitous Hartley. Phillips had faced 110 balls, accrued eight fours and defied the red rose bowlers for three hours. Hartley then extracted additional spin to remove Graeme van Buuren, who stretched forward and was caught behind for 8 to leave the home side between a rock and a hard place at 210 for 7.

Todd Murphy led a Gloucestershire counterattack, going for his shots, pushing the field back and sharing in a useful stand of 41 in eight overs with Zaman Akhter, who scored a breezy 20 before offering a return catch to Green as the home side slipped to 251 for 8. Ajeet Singh Dale survived a searching examination at the hands of Anderson and the new ball, he and Murphy digging in to reach tea on 268 for 8. Gloucestershire had a slender lead of 92 with a minimum 35 overs remaining.

Lancashire's go-to man, Hartley returned to bowl Murphy for a 56-ball 33 and complete the first 10-wicket match haul of his career as an enthralling contest entered its final session. He then accounted for last man Marchant de Lange, held at short square leg as Gloucestershire's resistance with the bat finally came to an end in the early-evening sunshine.

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Chris Green followed his career-best batting performance from last week with career-best bowling to date of 6-82 as Glamorgan battled through the opening day of this Rothesay County Championship promotion clash to reach 260-8 by stumps with Kiran Carlson the mainstay of their innings making 77.

In the battle between the second and fourth placed teams in the Second Division, Glamorgan looked to be in a good position at 192-3 by tea with Carlson having just reached his half century from 90 balls and forging a promising partnership with Colin Ingram.

But Green produced a devasting 35-ball spell of 3-12 after the break to swing the day back in Lancashire’s favour.



Having won the toss, Glamorgan openers Zain ul Hassan and Asa Tribe made slow progress in the face of some searching deliveries from James Anderson, Tom Bailey and George Balderson during the early exchanges.

But Lancashire were unable to find a way through and ul Hassan and Tribe made their way steadily through the session with their partnership worth 76 when Green, brought on as early as the 18th over, found an edge off ul Hassan playing forward defensively on 31 that was snapped up by wicketkeeper Phil Salt.

Green was finding sufficient turn to provide a constant threat from the end named after his captain and he struck again twice soon after lunch.

Sam Northeast, returning to the Glamorgan side after missing last week’s victory over Kent, played back to be lbw for 10 while Tribe, who had batted so nicely in reaching his fifty from 87 balls, slog/swept Green straight into the waiting hands of Bailey at deep square leg for 61 to leave the visitors on 113-3.



Carlson and Colin Ingram rebuilt with a positive counter attacking partnership of 86 to reach tea on 192-3, although Carlson on 37 survived a difficult chance when clipping Green fiercely to short leg where Keaton Jennings got his hands to the ball but couldn’t hang on.

Once again, wickets fell in quick succession after the interval, but this time Glamorgan were dealt a serious blow losing four wickets for 30 with Green the chief instigator.

The Australian all-rounder trapped Ingram lbw for 33 before Bailey removed Ben Kelleway’s off stump for a seven-ball duck. Green then added two more, including the big wicket of Carlson - drawn forward with Luke Wells catching the resultant edge at slip - and Chris Cooke stumped by the proverbial mile by Salt for 5 to have Glamorgan 229-7.



Mason Crane and James Harris added 25 runs before the latter was bowled by Tom Hartley for 11 leaving Crane (9 not out) and Ned Leonard (4 not out) to return to the crease tomorrow morning.

Chris Green was naturally delighted by how the first day of the match turned out.

“I thought it was really well stuck at by all bowlers,” he said.

“I think early on we were very unlucky. We beat the bat a lot with Anderson, Bailey and Balderson.

“We could have had a few wickets there, and we spoke about it at lunch and even at tea, just to try and outlast them for as long as possible, and the game could turn and happen quickly.

“So, to take wickets in groups there and have them eight down overnight, I think we're in a great position and have controlled the scoreboard really well as well.



“It was much the plan just to try and put balls in the right areas. And fortunately for me, it was my day and I enjoyed bowling out there.

“The way the wicket looked early, I thought the seamers would do a job, but obviously we've only got three seamers, so between Tommy and myself, we knew we had a role to play. And fortunately for us, there was enough there in the wicket to ask enough questions and get rewarded when we were asking those questions the right way.

“I think the way the wickets have been, it's been a dry summer. So I think naturally, while the ball is hard, with both seam and pace making best use of that in that first 30 to 40 over period, you see once you get through on these dry surfaces, the 40, 50 overs, it does get easier to bat as the ball goes softer.

“And then hopefully you've taken enough wickets to make inroads with that second new ball, which we were able to do as well. So, yeah, I think it's an interesting debate, but I'm enjoying the role I'm playing so far.



“I think there's enough there for seamers, enough there for spinners. And I think credit to the two guys for them. If you bat well, you can get rewarded and score some runs.

“And I think that's our job. We can have two or three blokes go big when it's our turn to bat, then I think we set this game up nicely.”

“I think the way we've been playing our cricket, or certainly since I've been here, the three games we've played, that close draw at Blackpool, where we were inches away from a victory and then it got tough work, and then the last two wins we've had, there's a nice little roll on to coincide with the T20 form that we had in finishing top spot as well. So there's a great vibe in the dressing room.

“When I got here, there was a great vibe in the dressing room and there's a lot of confidence in there. There's a lot of enjoyment happening and I think it sets it up nicely for the back end of the season and the next three days.”

[themaclad]

A career-best 6-19 by Mason Crane led a superb bowling effort from Glamorgan that has put the visitors firmly in the ascendancy after two days at Emirates Old Trafford.

Having been bowled out for 261 in their first innings of this Rothesay County Championship division two promotion battle, second-placed Glamorgan hit back strongly to dismiss fourth-placed Lancashire for 137 before reaching the close on 95-2 in their second innings to lead by 219 runs.

The day turned Glamorgan’s way during a dramatic afternoon session following the introduction of Crane into the attack. The leg spinner ran through the Lancashire middle and lower order after producing an outstanding 10.3 over spell from the Sir James Anderson end that was chiefly responsible for the hosts losing their last seven wickets for 30 runs.

Anderson, on his 43rd birthday, took two early wickets in one over when Glamorgan began their second innings but a steadying partnership of 71 between Sam Northeast and Kiran Carlson has the visitors well-placed to push home their strong advantage tomorrow.



Following a delay of one hour due to rain, Lancashire took just eight deliveries to wrap up the Glamorgan first innings for the addition of one run to their overnight score of 260-8, Tom Bailey trapping Crane lbw for 9 and Anderson having Ned Leonard caught behind for 4.

In testing, seaming conditions Asitha Fernando had early reward trapping Luke Wells lbw for 2 and it took some determined and, at times, dogged batting from Keaton Jennings and Josh Bohannon in a partnership of 45 to prevent further damage to the Lancashire reply.

It took a superb one-handed catch by Asa Tribe at bat/pad to dismiss Jennings for 28 off spinner Ben Kellaway shortly before lunch and Glamorgan made further inroads soon after the break, Fernando rewarded for a fine spell when having Bohannon lbw for 32.



The introduction of Crane into the attack transformed the afternoon as the leg spinner produced a devastating burst of 5-12 in 41 balls on a wicket that has taken spin from the start to put the visitors firmly in charge.

If the first of the five was a touch fortunate, Marcus Harris hitting a full toss to Kellaway at mid-on for 30, the rest were a result of some excellent leg spin that the Lancashire batters failed to master.

Phil Salt edged behind for 8, Matty Hurst (21) top-edged a sweep that deflected off wicketkeeper Chris Cooke to Colin Ingram at slip, Chris Green drove a catch back to the bowler for 2 while Tom Hartley was lbw three balls later.



That left Lancashire reeling on 132-8 by the tea interval and Glamorgan wrapped up the innings five overs after the break when Fernando gained a third lbw verdict against Bailey and Crane took his sixth after George Balderson chipped to Kiran Carlson at midwicket.

Leading by 119 runs, Glamorgan lost Zain ul Hassan bowled for 12 shouldering arms to Anderson who then took a smart, tumbling catch off his own bowling five balls later to dismiss Tribe for 11.



Northeast (26 not out) and Carlson (43 not out) steadied matters with their unbroken partnership during the final hour of the day to leave Glamorgan in a strong position going into day three.

“Not the day we wanted today, obviously,” said Interim Head Coach Steven Croft.

“There’s still a chance tomorrow if we bowl well, bowl them out and chase something that's around 300-350.

“I think it's taken a little bit of spin, and if I'm honest I don't think both sides have played the spin particularly well in the first innings.

“I thought we could have been a little bit more proactive and got out of first gear a lot more, I wouldn't say it was easy at times, but I thought we were probably a lot better than we showed today.

“We looked a little bit timid at times and didn't put any pressure back on. At the same time if you do want to soak it up a bit, you're entitled to, but it looked like we got stuck in the middle a little bit, and it’s a bit of a disappointing day really with the bat.

“I thought it's been a really good cricket wicket, it's had carry, it's taken spin from day one and I think it probably needs that with the Kookaburra ball, and especially here.

“There'll still be a lot of belief in the lads. From the games I've seen this is probably the first little jitter we've had today, but I'm sure we'll come back strong tomorrow and come back fighting.”