[themaclad]

Bob Willis Trophy, Emerald Headingley (day one):
Yorkshire 8-0 (2.1 overs)
Lancashire: Yet to bat
Scorecard
Yorkshire and Lancashire were restricted to only 13 balls of play in rain-hit Leeds on day one of the first Roses Match in the Bob Willis Trophy.

After a start delayed by half an hour, Yorkshire reached 8-0 before a rain interruption - and they did not return.

Tom Kohler-Cadmore's four off a first-ball full toss from debutant George Burrows was the only scoring shot.

Umpires Peter Hartley and James Middlebrook finally abandoned play for the day shortly after 15:00 BST.

When play was abandoned, it was not raining, but there were still puddles on the outfield.

Yorkshire began this game second in North Group, two points behind leaders Derbyshire, who are 22 points ahead of third-placed Lancashire.

But both sides were weakened by England call-ups and injuries, while Yorkshire's England batsman Gary Ballance was absent as a result of illness and "heightened feelings of anxiety and stress following a long period of isolation due to the Covid-19 lockdown".

That meant 10 players (six from Yorkshire and four from Lancashire) were making their first appearance in a first-class Roses Match - and for 22-year-old, Wigan-born Burrows, it was his first-class debut.

Yorkshire's Tom Kohler-Cadmore:

"You don't ever want the weather to be involved but, in a shortened season, with only five games, you need as many days of play as possible. We've missed enough cricket this year.

"Last week, the weather ruined a good game between us and Derby - it took a full day and a bit out with bad light as well. It's frustrating, but we can't do anything about it.

"A Roses game, no matter what format or whenever it is, is always a big game. Being towards the crunch end of a tournament makes it all the more important."

Lancashire debutant George Burrows:

"It's a bit of a dream come true for me. There's a lot of hard work gone in over the last two or three years, so it's nice to get the opportunity.

"I found out I was going to be playing about 10am when Dane Vilas pulled me aside and gave me the nod. What a fixture. Against Yorkshire and to play here at Headingley as well makes it extra special even though there are no crowds in.

"I've been bowling well for the last few weeks. I was a little bit nervy with that first-ball full toss but it was swinging and shaping out there."

[themaclad]

Bob Willis Trophy, Emerald Headingley (day two):
Yorkshire 178-6: Lyth 86*; Lamb 2-32, Burrows 2-56
Lancashire: Yet to bat
Yorkshire 0 pts, Lancashire 2 pts
Scorecard
Yorkshire opener Adam Lyth moved to within 14 runs of a fourth Roses red-ball century during a weather-affected but entertaining day two of the Bob Willis Trophy clash with Lancashire at Emerald Headingley.

Both sides enjoyed periods of dominance during an uninterrupted morning, which saw Yorkshire advance their first innings to 53 without loss before slipping to 78 for four, including two wickets in three balls for all-rounder Danny Lamb.

No play was possible between 2.15pm and 4.45pm, with the hosts later advancing their first innings to 178-6, with Lyth reaching 86 not out off 197 balls.

Relive Sunday's Bob Willis Trophy action as it happened
Saturday saw 87 overs lost to rain, and with a further 35 gone during day two, the chances of either side winning this penultimate round North Group fixture are slim.

A draw would be far more damaging to Lancashire - third in the table and 22 points off top spot prior to this fixture. Yorkshire were second and only two points behind leaders Derbyshire.

Lyth, who survived a huge lbw appeal from Tom Bailey on nought, fed on some leg-side bowling from Red Rose debutant George Burrows, who he pulled for a six added to seven boundaries in his lunchtime 45 not out.

He shared a half-century opening partnership with Tom Kohler-Cadmore, only for Yorkshire's position of strength to slip away during the second half of the morning in bowler-friendly conditions.

Of Lancashire's four front-line seamers, Bailey, 29, is the only one with significant experience. The others, Burrows, Lamb and George Balderson, had only nine previous first-class appearances between them.

Bailey made the initial breakthrough when he had Kohler-Cadmore smartly caught low down at first slip by Keaton Jennings in the 11th over.

Lamb replaced Bailey at the Emerald Stand End and had Will Fraine caught behind for five and Tom Loten lbw for nought as the White Rose slipped to 61-3

There was further damage done courtesy of Burrows, who returned for his second spell at the Kirkstall Lane End and almost instantly claimed his first career wicket when Harry Brook cut a short and wide delivery to Josh Bohannon.

Jennings dropped Jonny Tattersall on one at first slip, and there was only enough time for three overs to be bowled in the afternoon before rain.

Lyth reached his fifty shortly after the evening resumption, off 130 balls with eight fours and his six off Burrows.

It is the former England left-hander's seventh score of 50 or more in 14 Roses first-class appearances.

Lyth and wicketkeeper-batsman Tattersall steadied the hosts with a fifth-wicket stand of 61, but Jennings atoned for the earlier drop when his part-time medium-pacers claimed the latter for 25, caught at first slip by Steven Croft.

Lyth later pulled a second six off Lamb, only to lose another partner in Jordan Thompson as Burrows bowled him off an inside-edge as he tried to leave alone.

[themaclad]

Bob Willis Trophy, Emerald Headingley (day three):
Yorkshire 260: Lyth 103; Lamb 4-55
Lancashire 195-5: Davies 73, Vilas 41
Lancashire (3 pts) trail Yorkshire (3 pts) by 65 runs with five wickets remaining
Scorecard
Adam Lyth completed his first century across all formats since September 2018 before Lancashire made 195-5 in reply to Yorkshire's first-innings 260.

But this penultimate round Bob Willis Trophy North Group game is heading for a weather-affected draw after the loss of 122 overs on days one and two.

And the likelihood of play on day four is minimal due to adverse weather.

Should the poor final day forecast prove incorrect, it could be that a contrived result occurs.

But accruing bonus points was the objective during the third day. And, given the weather outlook, it was therefore somewhat of a surprise to see Lancashire show little intent to pass 200 for a first batting point.

Second-placed Yorkshire - two points behind leaders Derbyshire prior to this fixture - are still in the thick of the race to finish top of the North and secure a Lord's final place, but third-placed Lancashire are all but out of the running, 22 points off the pace going into this game.

Relive Monday's Bob Willis Trophy action as it happened
Lyth's wait for a first-class century stretched back 20 matches and almost two years, although this was his fourth career Roses first-class ton.

He started the day on 86 with Yorkshire 178 for six from 66 overs of their first innings. And, in completing a 55-run stand with fledgling all-rounder George Hill, he moved to his long awaited century off 218 balls with back-to-back boundaries off Danny Lamb, who finished with a career-best 4-55.

Through the majority of the afternoon, Lancashire openers Alex Davies, who top-scored with 73, and Keaton Jennings took advantage of the easiest batting conditions of the match to share their second successive century opening partnership having closed out last week's draw at Nottinghamshire with 120 in the second innings.

But Yorkshire hit back impressively either side of tea with a trio of wickets in six overs as their rivals slipped to 112-3.

Jennings was first to go for 23, trapped lbw sweeping at Lyth's part-time off-spin before pacy Jared Warner - on loan at Sussex last year - picked up his maiden first-class wicket for Yorkshire, Josh Bohannon, caught behind.

Home skipper Patterson then had Davies lbw playing to leg before Hill finally got his maiden first-class wicket.

He had already had two difficult chances put down when, the ball after Duanne Olivier ended a 65-run stand between Dane Vilas (41) and Rob Jones (21), Hill had Jones caught behind

[themaclad]

Leeds this morning Match Abandoned

[themaclad]

LANCS v DERBY AIGBURTH 6/9/2020 TO 9/9/2020

The last four day game of the season has added spice with the fact that Derbyshire are pushing for a place in the Lords final, they top the Northern group by 5 points from Yorkshire also have more points than Essex so at the moment they are on course to meet Somerset in the finals.
For us we have blooded some players of which left arm spinner Hartley seems to have impressed the most. We cannot qualify so no pressure, suspect this is in the hands of the weather gods

[themaclad]

Lancashire Head Coach, Glen Chapple, has named a 14-man squad to face Derbyshire in the final Bob Willis Trophy fixture starting at Liverpool CC tomorrow.

Matt Parkinson looks set to play his first First-Class game of the season after missing the early stage of the competition through injury. He has played in all of Lancashire Lightning's Vitality Blast fixtures so far this summer.

There could be as many as three Lancashire debuts handed out at Aigburth; Owais Shah, George Lavelle and Jack Morley are all yet to feature in First-Class cricket.

Steven Croft misses out with a slight calf niggle which kept him out of the Blast win yesterday, while Tom Bailey is rested after leading the attack in every game so far this summer.



Lancashire Lightning squad
Dane Vilas ©, George Balderson, Josh Bohannon, George Burrows, Alex Davies, Tom Hartley, Liam Hurt, Keaton Jennings, Rob Jones, Danny Lamb, Jack Morley, George Lavelle, Matt Parkinson, Owais Shah

[themaclad]

Bob Willis Trophy, Aigburth (day one):
Lancashire 206-8: Bohannon 94, Balderson 36; Melton 3-46, Conners 2-25
Derbyshire: Yet to bat
Lancashire 1 pt, Derbyshire 2 pts

Lancashire's Josh Bohannon saved his side's blushes at Aigburth with a brilliant 94 as the Red Rose made heavy work of reaching 206-8 on the first day of their Bob Willis Trophy clash with Derbyshire.

Bolton-born Bohannon batted for 300 minutes before departing and his belligerence was much needed by the hosts on a day when runs were hard to come by - partly due to the accuracy of Derbyshire's bowlers and partly due to a slow outfield saturated by overnight rain.

Derbyshire's chances of a vital victory as they chase top spot in the North Group were boosted when Keaton Jennings was trapped lbw by Sam Connors from the first delivery of the match.

Alex Davies departed soon after without scoring, when he was also adjudged lbw, following an excellent delivery from Luis Reece, to leave the Red Rose teetering on 2-2.

Bohannon was joined in the middle by Rob Jones and the pair staged something of a recovery, compiling 56 for the third wicket in the face of some tight bowling from Reece and Dustin Melton, before Jones was caught at first slip by Leus Du Plooy off Melton for 23 to leave Lancashire on 71-3 at lunch.

The visitors were quickly into the groove after the break with the impressive Reece enticing Dane Vilas to edge behind to keeper Harvey Hosein in the first over following the break as the skipper departed for four.

Bohannon was joined at the crease by debutant George Lavelle who batted for just short of an hour for a battling 13 until Melton trapped him front with the score on 108.

Bohannon continued to stand firm and he reached a deserved half-century off 125 balls when he pulled Melton through midwicket for one of just eight boundaries in his painstaking innings.

If scoring had been at a premium in the middle session, the runs practically dried up after tea as Derbyshire continued to pile on the pressure and Bohannon entered the nervous 90s.


Eventually Melton's enthusiasm paid off when Bohannon clipped a ball to Fynn Hudson-Prentice at midwicket for what was a disappointing end to a fine knock, but a fitting reward for the Derbyshire seamer who finished the day with 3-46.

Teenager George Balderson continued his defiance at the other end as he and Danny Lamb dragged the hosts towards 200 until the 19-year-old gave away his wicket after slashing a wide ball from Sam Conners to Wayne Madsen at slip for 36 with five overs to go.

Lamb followed quickly for eight when he spooned a catch to Du Plooy at point to hand Matt Critchley his first wicket and bring debutant Jack Morley to the crease as he and Tom Hartley steered their side to the close.

[themaclad]

Bob Willis Trophy, Aigburth (day two):
Lancashire 219: Bohannon 94, Balderson 36; Melton 3-46, Reece 3-54
Derbyshire 120-7: Hosein 44*; Lamb 3-35, Balderson 3-49
Derbyshire (3 pts) trail Lancashire (1 pt) by 99 runs with 3 wickets remaining

Derbyshire's chances of reaching the final of the Bob Willis Trophy are fading fast after Lancashire's inexperienced bowling attack had a day to remember at Aigburth.

Looking to secure a vital win, the North Group leaders endured a miserable time of it, losing seven wickets for just 120 as they attempted to chase down Lancashire's modest first-innings total of 219.

A torrid morning session saw the visitors reduced to 17-4 following an explosive opening spell from Danny Lamb, who celebrated his 25th birthday in style by taking three top-order wickets.

Incredibly, Lamb was the only one of Lancashire's bowlers to make his first-class debut before this current truncated season, and the remainder of the day saw 19-year-old George Balderson and George Burrows, 22, both claim wickets as the Red Rose positioned themselves to spoil Derbyshire's party.

Resuming the day on 208-8, Lancashire added another 11 runs to their overnight score for the loss of Jack Morley (3) and Burrows (1) as former Red Rose player Luis Reece finished as the pick of the Derbyshire bowlers with figures of 3-54.

Not long after the modest total was looking a competitive one as Lamb set to work, with Reece edging behind for two to hand wicketkeeper George Lavelle his first first-class dismissal.

Billy Godleman was next, snaffled at first slip by Keaton Jennings for six, with Leus du Plooy following shortly afterwards, playing across to a straight ball without scoring.

Balderson completed a fine morning for the hosts when he trapped Wayne Madsen in front for four to leave Derbyshire going into the lunch break reflecting on a disastrous seven overs that has all but cost them this match.

Lancashire came out after an extended lunch interval due to rain full of confidence, but the hosts found themselves facing some stubborn resistance in the form of Matt Critchley and Fynn Hudson-Prentice, who began to rebuild Derbyshire's innings with a degree of determined application.

The score had reached 44 when Critchley, who began his cricketing career as a Lancashire junior, was dismissed in bizarre fashion for 14 - ducking into a full toss from Burrows and being adjudged lbw by umpire Graham Lloyd.

Less than four overs later, Hudson-Prentice departed too, brilliantly caught low at third slip by Tom Hartley off Balderson for 19.

Derbyshire's plight worsened when Anuj Dal edged one to Jennings at first slip for two to hand Balderson his third wicket and leave the visitors 71-7 at tea.

Left-arm spinner Morley, making his first-class debut, and Hartley, a relative veteran of four matches, twirled away after tea as Derbyshire recovered somewhat thanks to Harvey Hosein's unbeaten 44 and Mattie McKiernan's dogged 19 not out before play was halted for bad light just before the close of play at 18:00 BST.

[themaclad]

Bob Willis Trophy, Aigburth (day three):
Lancashire 219 & 312-6: Davies 86, Jennings 81, Balderson 56*; Critchley 4-126
Derbyshire 195: Hosein 84; Lamb 4-60
Lancashire (4 pts) lead Derbyshire (3 pts) by 336 runs
An opening stand of 138 between Alex Davies and Keaton Jennings allowed Lancashire to take control of their Bob Willis Trophy group game as Derbyshire's hopes of reaching the final subsided.

The Red Rose openers dominated the afternoon at Aigburth, reaching their century partnership when Jennings lofted a six over Matt Critchley's head.

Davies was the main aggressor, hitting four boundaries off one Dustin Melton over, before driving straight to Anuj Dal off Critchley for 86.

Jennings eased his way to his own half-century off 102 balls and he and Josh Bohannon had taken Lancashire beyond 200 when the England opener toe-ended a reverse sweep straight to Billy Godleman at midwicket for 81.

But the real drama of the day occurred in the morning session as Derbyshire staged a dramatic recovery in their quest to make 200 and gain a batting bonus point on their way to registering the win which would take them to Lord's.

At 17-4 and 61-7 it looked an unlikely prospect, until a brilliant eighth-wicket stand of 102 between Harvey Hosein and Mattie McKiernen took the visitors to 163 and within sight of their improbable target.

It was not to be. McKiernen fell lbw to George Burrows for 31, before the heroic Hosein became teenage spinner Jack Morley's maiden first-class victim when he feathered one behind for an outstanding 84 off 226 balls.

That bought the last pair of Sam Conners and Melton to the crease with a huge six from the latter off Danny Lamb raising hopes.

Seventeen precious runs were compiled for the 10th wicket, with the score on 195 when Melton went for one shot too many and was bowled by Lamb, who finished with 4-60.

The Lancashire batsmen looked to score quick runs before the close with varying degrees of success.

Rob Jones was caught at first slip by Madsen off Critchley for five, followed by Bohannon, who edged to the same fielder off Luis Reece for 35.

When Dane Vilas drove Critchley to Reece at mid-on for 10, to hand the spinner his fourth wicket of the innings, Lancashire had suddenly lost three for 16 and Derbyshire's faint hopes of victory remained.

There was still time for debutant George Lavelle to be trapped in front by Reece for seven but with teenager George Balderson (56 not out) scoring a maiden half-century and Lamb (16no) taking Lancashire to a lead of 336 by the close, it remains a huge task.

[themaclad]

LAST PROPER CRICKET FOR THE RED ROSED AND THEY GO OUT ON A WIN

Bob Willis Trophy, Aigburth (day four):
Lancashire 219 & 356-6 dec: Davies 86, Jennings 81, Balderson 61*, Lamb 50*; Critchley 4-126
Derbyshire 195 & 202: Reece 69, McKiernan 52;Morley 4-62
Lancashire (20 pts) beat Derbyshire (3 pts) by 178 runs
Scorecard
Derbyshire endured a calamitous afternoon session on the final day of their Bob Willis Trophy clash at Liverpool as Lancashire secured a resounding 178-run victory.

The visitors lost six wickets for 17 runs in a frenetic half hour period after lunch that saw them go from 118-2 to 135-8, thanks to the Red Rose's young left arm spinners Jack Morley and Tom Hartley.

Not even a brave rearguard action from Mattie McKiernan and Sam Conners could save Derbyshire, who were eventually bowled out for 202, 178 runs short of the nominal target of 381.

Defeat meant Derbyshire finished second in Nortrh Group, 13 points behind Yorkshire, with Lancashire eight points further back in third.

The determined tail end pair shared a ninth wicket partnership of 60 runs in just over 36 overs which frustrated Lancashire for 107 minutes until Conners fell for nine, lbw to Morley.

McKiernan had time to reach his maiden first-class half century, but he became the last man out when Danny Lamb trapped him in front for 55 to finish with 3-12.

Relive Wednesday's action in the Bob Willis Trophy
Bob Willis Trophy group tables
Before their afternoon collapse, Derbyshire had been progressing nicely with Luis Reece reaching his half century off 127 balls before he became Morley's first victim, caught by Keaton Jennings at slip for 69 after an attempted sweep.

Leus du Plooy was next, trapped in front by Hartley for 34, before Fynn Hudson-Prentice edged the same bowler to Jennings for one.

Matt Critchley had his off stump uprooted by Morley for seven, Anuj Dal was adjudged lbw off Hartley for three, with Harvey Hosein's dismissal lbw to Morley for six ending a miserable session for Derbyshire.

Earlier in the day, Derbyshire had moved on 56-2 at lunch after an especially productive morning for Lamb who continued his fine game by reaching his maiden first class half-century as Lancashire added 43 in just over five overs.

Lamb was joined by teenager George Balderson who finished on 61 not out as Lancashire declared on 356-6 declared.

Lamb then took up where he left off in the first innings with the ball as Derbyshire skipper Billy Godleman edged to Rob Jones at second slip for four.

Lamb struck again when Wayne Madsen was adjudged lbw for nine to leave Derbyshire 20-2.

But it was a day to savour for Lancashire's young spin twins who twirled their way throughout the majority of a sun-drenched afternoon with Morley finishing with 4-64 and Hartley 3-79.