[themaclad]

Half-centuries from Steven Croft and Luke Wood helped Lancashire move into a potentially winning position on the third day of the LV= Insurance County Championship match with Gloucestershire at the Seat Unique Stadium, Bristol.
Croft was dismissed for 80 and Wood 50 as the visitors extended their first innings total from an overnight 226 for four to 402 all out, a lead of 65. Ryan Higgins claimed three for 55.

By the close, Gloucestershire had struggled to 99 for three in their second innings, just 34 in front, with Miles Hammond unbeaten on 25. But rain is forecast tomorrow and could come to their aid.



The day began with Croft one short of his fifty, which came up with a two off Matt Taylor in the second over, It had occupied 112 balls and featured 7 fours.

Hopes of a Lancashire acceleration dipped when Phil Salt, having added just five to his overnight score of 33, aimed a loose drive at Tom Price and was pinned lbw on the back pad.

George Balderson helped Croft add 48 for the sixth wicket in just under 15 overs before the latter fell to the second new ball, edging a drive off Ryan Higgins through to wicketkeeper James Bracey.

Croft had faced 154 balls and extended his boundary count to 11. With only seven runs added, Balderson, on 20, fell in similar fashion to another outside edge, giving Higgins his third wicket.

At 289 for seven, Lancashire were still 48 runs behind. But Wood brought up the 300 and a third batting point with a pulled four off David Payne.

By lunch, the score had progressed to 317 for seven and the afternoon session saw Wood and Tom Bailey continue a profitable partnership.

They had added 67 to put their side in front by 19 when Bailey, who had taken the dominant role with 8 fours in his 40, fell leg-before to a delivery from left-arm spinner Zafar Gohar, which drifted in.



By then, Lancashire had settled for three batting points and were intent on building a meaningful lead.

Will Williams contributed 12 to another useful stand of 43 with Wood before being caught at cover off Payne.

Wood went to his half-century off 108 balls, with 7 fours, but perished soon afterwards, lofting a catch to deep mid-wicket off Payne, who finished with three for 81.

Price had figures of three for 80 in a Gloucestershire seam attack, who bowled wholeheartedly and without much fortune on the slow pitch.

The hosts reduced the deficit of 65 by 20 in their second innings before George Scott edged Bailey and fell to a slip catch for the second time in the match.

It said much about the surface that Lancashire turned to the spin of Jack Morley after only 11 overs, five of which had been sent down by Williams as a cost of only a single.

But it was another seamer, Balderson, who made the second breakthrough when Glenn Phillips, on nine, shouldered arms to a ball that nicked his off stump.

First innings centurion Chris Dent looked in control again, moving to 23, but then edged a defensive shot off Williams to wicketkeeper Salt to put his side in peril at 73 for three.

The light was poor in the closing overs, which may have explained why Bailey switched to off-spin as Hammond and James Bracey saw Gloucestershire to the close.

---

Miles Hammond and James Bracey batted Gloucestershire towards safety before rain wiped out the last two sessions of the LV= County Championship match with Lancashire at the Seat Unique Stadium, Bristol.
Only 19 overs were possible at the start of the final day, which began with the home side precariously placed on 99 for three in their second innings, just 34 runs ahead.

Overnight pair Hammond and Bracey negotiated them with few alarms on the placid pitch, both reaching half-centuries in taking the score to 176 for three by the time rain started to fall at 12.20pm.

Hammond was unbeaten on 58 and Bracey 55 when play ceased. An early lunch was taken, and play almost restarted at 2.05pm, with umpires and teams ready to take the field.

But more rain started to fall and became heavier, to the frustration of the groundstaff, who had been on and off with the covers.

Umpires Rob Bailey and Neil Pratt abandoned any prospect of further play at 3.10pm.

[themaclad]

Somerset 4 dayer Southport 11/7/2022

Trafalgar Road Ground is a cricket ground in Southport, Merseyside. The first recorded match on the ground was in 1956, when the Lancashire Second XI played Cheshire in the Minor Counties Championship.[1]

In 1959, the ground held its first first-class match when Lancashire played Worcestershire in the County Championship. From 1959 to 2017, the ground played host to 44 first-class matches, the last of which came in the 2017 County Championship between Lancashire and Middlesex.[2]

The ground has also held List-A matches, the first of which saw Lancashire play Glamorgan in the 1969 Player's County League. From 1969 to 1987, the ground held 4 List-A matches, the last of which saw Lancashire play Scotland in the 1987 Benson and Hedges Cup.[3]

With the first recorded match on the ground in 1956 involving the Lancashire Second XI, the ground has since held a combined total of 25 Second XI fixtures for the Lancashire Second XI in the Minor Counties Championship, Second XI Championship and Second XI Trophy.[4][5]

In local domestic cricket, the ground is the home venue of Southport & Birkdale Cricket Club.[6] who play in the Liverpool & District Cricket Competition. In February 2016, the Club signed a three year staging agreement with Lancashire to host county cricket, which is believed to be the first of its kind in England and Wales.

[themaclad]

It is a crucial month in the Championship title race, in which Lancashire are right in the thick of.

The Red Rose side are third in Division One after eight games, five points behind Hampshire in second place and 21 behind leaders Surrey. It is a wide open race when you consider the two teams directly below Lancashire, Essex and Yorkshire on 96 points apiece, both have a game in hand on the leading trio.

Lancashire, who will celebrate Steven Croft’s 200th first-class appearance, head into match number nine on the back of a high-scoring draw against Gloucestershire at Bristol late last month, a fixture in which the visitors held sway only to see the hosts hold on with a degree of comfort.

Somerset head to Southport deep in relegation trouble. They are second bottom having lost five and won two of seven games so far, 20 points adrift of third bottom Northamptonshire.

Lancashire, who will field seamer Will Williams as a domestic player after the New Zealander signed a long-term contract at Emirates Old Trafford earlier this week, have won their last two Championship fixtures at Southport.

That was Middlesex in 2017 and Worcestershire in 2018.



Opponents
Jason Kerr, the Lancashire-born coach at Taunton, and his side are having a disappointing season in red ball cricket.

They head into this fixture following back-to-back home Championship defeats against the top two sides in the division, Surrey and Hampshire, dating back to late May.

While the majority of counties across both divisions have been dealing with a plethora of draws and good batting pitches, Somerset are yet to draw in 2022.

After losing their first three games, they beat champions Warwickshire at Taunton and then Gloucestershire at Bristol.

Australian duo Matt Renshaw, the left-handed batter, and Peter Siddle, the one-time Lancashire seamer, have both represented Somerset as overseas players this summer.

Renshaw is due to return home at the end of August for domestic duty, but the Cidermen have signed Imam Ul Haq to finish off the campaign in September.

Captain and England Lions man Tom Abell is their leading run-scorer with 497 from seven appearances, including two hundreds. But he is unavailable for this match, along with Tom Banton, due to Lions duty.

All-rounder Lewis Gregory is a potential replacement to lead the side.

Opener Renshaw has also had a solid campaign with 371 runs from five games.

Seamers Craig Overton (26) and Siddle (24) lead the way in terms of wickets.

First-innings runs have been an issue for Somerset. On four occasions, they have failed to pass 220 in their first innings, including three below 200.

Opposing player to watch
Somerset will have England left-arm spinner Jack Leach available for this fixture following recent Test Match duties against New Zealand and then India.

Leach claimed 14 wickets in four matches, including a career best 10-wicket haul - five in each innings - in a victory over New Zealand at Headingley last month.

The 31-year-old is 18 wickets short of 400 in his first-class career.

If Southport continues to be useful for spinners, as it has been in the past, Leach will be a real threat.

Previous meeting
Lancashire beat Somerset by 10 wickets inside three days at Taunton last September (12-14) to keep their Championship title hopes alive heading into the final week against Hampshire at Liverpool.

Luke Wells hit a superb 103 from number three - his first Lancashire century having moved from Sussex - to underpin a first-innings 373 all out, achieved during the early stages of day two in front of the Sky Sports cameras.

Josh Bohannon, Steven Croft and Tom Bailey all contributed half-centuries.

In reply, Somerset were skittled for just 90 during the second afternoon, with seamer Jack Blatherwick claiming a pacy 4-28 from 10 overs in only his second Lancashire Championship appearance.

Somerset fared much better second time around, but it was merely delaying the inevitable following their first-innings collapse.

They had reached the end of day two at 226-4, though struggled again on day three, losing their last six wickets for 81 to fall to 314 all out.

Opener Tom Lammonby made 100, though he was one of three wickets to standout Wells, who excelled with his leg-spinners (3-8 in seven overs). Two of them came in one over.

It left just a target of 32, which was knocked off by openers George Balderson and Alex Davies in six overs, ensuring a 23-point haul.

What they said:
Steven Croft is relishing a huge week in Lancashire’s season and in his career.

Croft will play his 200th match before taking part in his seventh T20 Blast Finals Day on Saturday. But, as ever with Croft, it is not about him, it is the team which comes first.

“It’s a massive week for us,” he said. “We’ve ticked half of it off by extending our T20 season.

“But a positive result at Southport is going to put us right up there in the table and give us some great momentum going into the back end of the season.

“There’s still a lot to play for. I feel like there’s going to be some result games on result pitches, and it’s very exciting and all to play for still.”

---

[themaclad]

Actually been today, first time this season, nightmare journey, road works and closures, get to the ground, queue miles long, man says tickets down this way, excellent membership card at the ready, get the card scanned, where's yiour ticket, so it's back to the original queue which is even longer than when I first joined it. They used a bit of common sense by going down the queue to issue printed tckets to memebers. Sorted, then you have the bag search. Any bottles or cans, Nope, I've got an AK47, Machete and some grenades, no problems sir, in you go. So get home to sort ticket out for tomorrow and the thing is sold out. And the ever so helpful club websire didn't mention it, Rhyme's with Clucking Bell

The first day’s play at Southport for four years proved to be a tough one for Lancashire’s bowlers after Somerset produced a resilient batting display to reach 297-5 by the close of the opening day in this LV= County Championship match.

Two early wickets boosted Red Rose hopes after the visitors opted to bat after winning the toss but a century partnership between Lewis Goldsworthy – who made a career-best unbeaten 103 - and James Rew across the final two sessions swung the day Somerset’s way.

Tom Bailey had produced a typically challenging opening burst from the Grosvenor Road End at the start of proceedings, probing the batsmen’s defence around off stump, and he was rewarded with two near-identical dismissals to catches by Rob Jones at second slip; Steve Davis for 1 from a good, tumbling grab and overseas opener Matt Renshaw for 13 by an even better effort low down to Jones’ left.



That had the visitors, without top order regulars Tom Abell and Tom Banton away on England Lions duty, in early strife on 16-2 but Tom Lammonby and James Bartlett rallied with a steady 61-run alliance on a hot and sunny morning at Trafalgar Road.

Their progress was halted just before lunch when Bartlett more or less yorked himself by playing over the top of left-arm spinner Jack Morley’s second ball to be bowled for 27, with Somerset 77-3 and adding twelve to that total by lunch.



And the Red Rose attack built on that success early in the afternoon when Will Williams, on his home debut, trapped Lammonby lbw for 42.

But 21 year-old Goldsworthy and 18 year-old Rew, making his Championship debut, put up some strong resistance during a hot, humid afternoon, posting a Somerset fifth wicket record partnership against Lancashire of 145, although Rew had an early escape on 18 when his sharp edge off Morley just evaded a diving Luke Wells at slip.

But the pair’s steady progress to build a big score was exemplified by Goldsworthy’s determined two and a quarter hours fifty off 116 balls as tea was reached with Somerset on 191-4.

And he found excellent support from Rew who batted with great maturity in just his second first-class game reaching his fifty off 84 balls and posting the century partnership at the same time from 27.3 overs.

Dane Vilas steadily rotated his bowlers, giving them short, sharp spells in the hot conditions, but it took the arrival of the new ball before Lancashire could celebrate a further success when Rew clipped Williams to Bailey at square leg having made a fine 70.



Goldsworthy went to his maiden century in style driving George Balderson through covers for his fifteenth four with his hundred coming from 207 balls just before the close with Somerset well positioned on 297-5.

“We thought we did pretty well in that first session,” said Will Williams, “and for most of the second one as well. It was a really disciplined effort.

“The pitch had a little bit in it early and then flattened out after that. I think it will be a good batting day tomorrow and then it might spin a bit more after that.”

“At the back end of that second session they got a couple of boundaries away and got around 20 to 30 more runs than we would have liked.”



And Williams believes that Somerset are some way off being beyond Lancashire despite having the better of the day.

“We worked hard in that last session and I feel the first session tomorrow morning will be key in terms of going forward in the game.

“They did get away a little bit, but we’ll be coming out hot tomorrow morning and if we can get a couple of poles in the morning it will put us in the box seat.”

[themaclad]

Luke Wells and Keaton Jennings produced an unbeaten one hundred and fifty partnership as Lancashire replied strongly to Somerset’s total of 446 in this LV= County Championship match at Southport to be 282 runs behind at the close of play at 164-0 on a day when just five wickets fell.

Wells ended unbeaten on 99 while Jennings finished on 61 with both batsmen passing 500 runs for the season during their innings.



Initially the pair fought hard to win a fascinating battle with veteran Somerset pace duo Peter Siddle and Jack Brooks - and the rest of the visitors’ attack - in the early part of their alliance prior to tea before playing in a more expansive fashion after the interval.

Wells had struck drives off back and front foot in one Lewis Gregory over just before tea and he posted the fifty partnership with another through cover off Siddle from the second ball after the break.

A sweep for four, his ninth, off Roelof van der Merwe took Wells to his fifty off 95 balls and the tall left hand bat hit the left-arm spinner for a six into the sightscreens to bring up the hundred partnership in the 36th over.



Jennings, hitherto playing more of a supporting role, stepped up to launch Amar Virdi for a straight six and added two more fours to reach his fifty from 131 balls.

Wells closed in on a third Lancashire century but was one shy when stumps were drawn but he and Jennings have given Lancashire a great platform for tomorrow.

“It’s been a good, hard-fought day for us,” was Luke Wells’ assessment.

“It’s a really good pitch and day two here generally is the best one for batting.

“We knew it would be hard work for our bowlers so for me and Keats to go out and get that big partnership, we’re doing everything we can to try and get a positive result from this game.



Wells wasn’t unduly bothered about being one run shy of his century.

“If I was a twenty-one year-old I’d be a lot more nervous. I think I’m alright (about it) to be honest,” he laughed.

“I’d rather be 99 not out than be already sat back in the pavilion. So I’m not too fussed.”

Looking ahead to tomorrow Wells added: “the most important thing is we are both not out overnight. We can set a good foundation, hopefully go through the gears, see if we can get parity and go from there.”

“The only strategy is score big runs, score them reasonably quickly and then rock n’roll them in the third innings.



“Whether we’ve got a big enough lead so we don’t have to bat again or end up having to have a quick dash on day four, realistically that’s the only way we are going to win.

“It’s going to really difficult, let’s be honest, because we are going to have to get ten wickets reasonably quickly. So never say never, but it’s our best shot and we will do everything we can to try for it.”

Earlier Lancashire had conceded their highest total of the season so far as Somerset reached a big total of 446.

Lewis Goldsworthy had taken 22 balls to add to his overnight score of 103 and his fine effort ended on 130 in the second hour of the morning after he nicked a leg glance to wicketkeeper Dane Vilas off George Balderson's second ball of the day.

It was Lewis Gregory who put some impetus into the visitor’s innings with some sweetly timed boundaries before he was the first to depart when pulling Will Williams to Jack Morley at fine leg for 42.

And Morley next took a superb diving catch after running from long leg to fine leg to dismiss Siddle for 5 off Luke Wood.



But van der Merwe and Brooks pushed the total up to 400 on the stroke of lunch, with Brooks lbw to Morley for 27 early in the afternoon.

That was a cue for van der Merwe to put bat to ball and he did so effectively hitting three sixes before being last out for 55 after chopping on against Wood with Somerset 446 all out.

[themaclad]

A career best first-class score of 318 from Keaton Jennings and a century from Luke Wells have helped set up a potentially thrilling final day in this LV= County Championship encounter against a beleaguered Somerset at a sun-drenched day in Southport.

After Wells moved quickly to three figures from his overnight score of 99, the focus of the day became about Jennings, who dominated the visitor’s increasingly ragged bowling attack, as he made the highest individual first class score in the 46 games that have been played at Trafalgar Road, the fourth highest by any Lancashire batter in history and the highest by any Lancashire batter since 1990.

And with the Red Rose scoring quickly throughout the afternoon their advantage could turn into a match-winning one for Lancashire who finished on 624-9 with a lead of 178.

In the morning Wells had celebrated reaching his second century of the season as early as the first over of the day but he was soon returning to the pavilion after edging Jack Brooks through to wicketkeeper Steven Davies for 109.



Jennings was joined by Josh Bohannon who proved to be a superb foil as the pair began constructing a match-defining partnership.

At lunch Lancashire were 271-1 but if that made unhappy enough reading for Somerset’s attack worse was to follow in the middle session as the Red Rose scored an improbable 176 runs from 32 overs to secure maximum batting points with an exhilarating display of big hitting and eager running between the wickets.

Bohannon was nine short of his century when he was eventually bowled by Roelof van der Merwe selflessly attempting to hit out, but the second wicket partnership of 211, a record in itself at Southport, will live long in the memory of those who were there.



Tea saw Lancashire with a one run lead over Somerset’s first innings total of 446 but it felt like more with eight wickets in hand and the evening session to come.

Steven Croft, in his 200th first-class game, added 25 before he was caught by Brooks off van der Merwe while skipper Dane Vilas made seven before playing on to the same bowler.

It was left to Rob Jones to offer the best support to Jennings as the fifth wicket pair compiled another entertaining partnership worth 113 which ended when Jones was caught well by a tumbling Amar Virdi on the long leg boundary off the part time off spin of Matt Renshaw for 38.



Renshaw would enjoy an unlikely cameo as the day came to a close claiming the wickets of George Balderson for one and Tom Bailey for four either side of van der Merwe bowling Luke Wood for three.

But this was Jennings’ day and an extraordinary innings ended in the final over after 426 balls and 582 minutes when the opener holed out to Siddle at long off for 318 as van der Merwe finished with 5-174.



Keaton Jennings, became the new ‘king of Southport’ today and he posed happily with many Southport youngsters in front of the scoreboard after the close of play.

"It feels amazing,” was Keaton’s reaction to his fabulous innings.

“But the main thing is we are in a nice position to push on and hopefully win the game tomorrow. We have a good chance of really putting some pressure on Somerset and get a nice win under our belt.

"The innings went in waves - last night I didn't feel amazing and then today I went through ebbs and flows of scoring quickly and then reigning it back.



"It's one of those days you can look back on at the end of your career and realise it was special but at the moment it hasn't quite sunk in and it just feels like a day in the dirt.

"It's a special day and one I hope I look back on with a lot of pride - I'll be honest I didn't think I'd ever get a first class 300 at any point. As a young lad you read about guys getting a 300 - Mike Hussey was a guy I looked up to as a player - but I never thought I'd ever get there so it is an amazing day.

"I've had some pretty low times in my career that have been fairly well documented so this is a special day - it's a day I'll hopefully smile about with my grandkids one day. A really good day personally and a really good day for the team - we shared a beer in the dressing room and that was really special.”

[themaclad]

Jack Morley’s five-star performance – and first-class best of 5-69 – led a great Lancashire effort to force a result on a tense final day at Trafalgar Road.

But Somerset held on for their first draw of the season in this entertaining LV=Insurance County Championship Division One clash.

Keaton Jennings’ gargantuan knock of 318 allowed Dane Vilas to declare overnight on 624-9 with Somerset knowing they would have to first reach and then bat beyond Lancashire’s lead of 178 if they were to save the game.

Despite some nervy moments, especially facing Morley, the West Country outfit survived to reach 213-7 when with seven overs left and the clock ticking around to 5.40pm, the players shook hands on the draw.

The result gave Lancashire 15 points and Somerset 11.



Earlier in the day neither Tom Bailey or Will Williams were able to make the breakthrough with the new ball, forcing Vilas to turn quickly to Morley and was rewarded when Matt Renshaw departed caught and bowled for 12 after driving straight back to the bowler.

Morley struck again four overs later with Rob Jones taking a sharp catch at leg slip to dismiss Steven Davies for 11 to leave Somerset 32-2 and Lancashire beginning to sniff victory.

Bowling from the Harrod Drive end, Morley found turn and bounce on the worn pitch and George Bartlett was the next to go as he stepped across his stumps and was trapped in front for four to leave the score 74-3 at lunch.



Tom Lammonby had provided some resistance before he became Morley’s fourth wicket early after lunch when he gloved an attempted reverse sweep to Keaton Jennings at short leg.

Youngsters Lewis Goldsworthy and James Rew dropped anchor for the rest of the afternoon to see off the continued threat of Morley and the part time spin of Luke Wells and Steven Croft.

But at each point the game looked up for Lancashire they were able to strike doubt into the visitor’s with Morley’s fifth wicket straight after tea renewing Red Rose hopes when 18 year-old Rew was caught at short leg by Jennings for 23 from 111 balls.



The fifth wicket pair had put on 80 runs but any thoughts that the game was safe ended with the dismissal of Lewis Gregory who drove straight to Josh Bohannon at cover for 25 to leave the score 189-6 and Somerset with a slender lead of 11 runs.

Roelof van der Merwe’s departure in the last hour fending off Luke Wood to Jennings for 12 had departing spectators scurrying back to their seats.

But 21 year-old Goldsworthy held out, finishing unbeaten on 73 off 213 balls alongside skipper Peter Siddle (4 not out) to the close.

"I'm not fussed who gets the wickets but obviously it was my day today” said a smiling Jack Morley at the close.

"I feel good and it's been coming out nice in training and hopefully I can continue to keep taking wickets.”



"I've played here quite a bit in the past and bowled from both ends but it was in my favour to bowl from the Harrod Drive end because of the rough there was.

"It was a great pitch to be fair and a very good batting pitch but the lads really gave it their all out there.”

"We said in the morning 'let's work as hard as we can and put everything into it' and I think the boys did and it's been a really good game and a positive one for us moving forward."



“I thought we played really well,” was Head Coach Glen Chapple’s reaction.

“There’s always things you can look at – if we had bowled them out for 370ish in the first innings it would have given us a better chance to get a bigger lead and more time to bowl them out.

“But it was a fairly placid pitch this year. A good wicket but it was tricky to force a result.

“The way we batted and accelerated the scoring to give us a chance was superb. We’ve got to be pleased with that, and with Jack taking a five-for. It’s not as if they were easy wickets, he bowled really well.

“The team are disappointed because they worked so hard and got close.

“But performance-wise we are satisfied.”

[themaclad]

Northants Northampton 4 dayer 19/7/2022


Changed a bit since then lost 2-0 when I went there

Northamptonshire played their first match at the ground in 1886 before competing in the Minor Counties Championship competition between 1895 and 1904, winning the title three times. They were accepted into the County Championship and played their first first-class match at the ground on 5 June 1905. Northamptonshire drew with Leicestershire in a rain-hit match that only permitted 75 overs of play.

The County Cricket Ground is known to be a venue which favours spinners, and in the last County Championship game of 2005, Northamptonshire's two spin bowlers Jason Brown and Monty Panesar took all 20 wickets for Northamptonshire.

The County Ground hosted two 1999 Cricket World Cup matches: South Africa's victory over Sri Lanka and Bangladesh's first World Cup victory against eventual finalists Pakistan by 62 runs.



Colin Milburn (nicknamed Ollie; 23 October 1941 – 28 February 1990)[1] was an English cricketer, who played in nine Test matches for England, before an accident led to the loss of much of his sight and prompted his retirement.

Cricker writer Colin Bateman commented, "he was a clean, natural hitter of the ball who had an infectious zest for the game and life". Bateman added, "he hit the ball with the strength of a lumberjack and he had the courage of a lion, but he was no Neanderthal clubber".[1]

First-class career
In 1960, Milburn signed for Northamptonshire because they offered 10 shillings a week more than Warwickshire.[3] He soon made a name for himself with his forceful strokeplay and useful medium-paced bowling, backed up by a larger-than-life, gregarious and convivial personality. By 1963 he was being talked about for the England team, but an indifferent game for Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) against Frank Worrell's West Indians meant he was passed over. He also taught PE during the off season at Cherry Orchard SM School in Northampton, just about a mile from the site of his later accident.

Test career
Milburn had a reputation as an all-or-nothing batsman, sparkling centuries alternating with indifferent scores, but by 1966 he had forced himself back into the Test reckoning. Selected for the First Test against the West Indies, he had the most ignominious start for an opener, run out for a first-innings duck.[1] He redeemed himself with 94 in the second innings as England went down to a heavy defeat. An aggressive century (126 not out) helped England to draw the Second Test, and despite standing up courageously to the formidable Caribbean pace attack in the following matches, he was dropped for the final Test, supposedly because his bulk hindered his mobility in the field.[1] Milburn's riposte was typical of the man, an innings of 203 for Northamptonshire against Essex. His swashbuckling season earned him a nomination as one of Wisden's Cricketers of the Year in the 1967 edition.

That winter Milburn travelled to Australia, where he played Sheffield Shield cricket for Western Australia.[1] He played a Test against India and against Pakistan in 1967, and was selected to tour the West Indies in the winter, where he was much more successful off the field than on. He was picked for the Lord's Test against Australia in 1968, scoring 83, mostly before lunch on the second day, almost all of the first being lost to rain. He had been listed to bat at number six, but was sent in with an aggressive move by England at the fall of the first wicket. The fact that he was an experienced opener was presumably a factor, the first wicket falling quite early. Milburn returned to Perth, where he enjoyed a prolific season for Western Australia.[1] The highlight was an innings of 243 against Queensland in Brisbane, where he scored 181 runs between lunch and tea.[4] Milburn was called up in an emergency to reinforce the MCC touring party in Pakistan. He scored a spectacular 139 in the Karachi Test in March 1969, before it was abandoned because of rioting.[1] It was his highest Test score in what would prove to be his final Test innings.[1]

Injury and retirement
Returning to Northampton for the 1969 season, Milburn started out with 158 against Leicestershire. On 23 May, he was returning home when he was involved in a motor accident. This cost him the sight of his left eye, the lead eye for a right-handed batsman. His right eye was also damaged.[1] Taking as an example the Nawab of Pataudi, who had resumed his career after suffering eye damage, Milburn harboured thoughts of a comeback. On 8 January 1971, The Times reported his retirement, but Milburn did return in 1973 and 1974.[1] However, he was a shadow of his former self, and these games did little beyond reducing his career batting average.

nccc.co.uk/

www.bbc.co.uk/weather/2641430

Washington Sundar is set to make his Lancashire debut after he was named in Glen Chapple's 13-man squad to face Northamptonshire in the LV= Insurance County Championship.
Washington arrived in Manchester over the weekend and travelled to Wantage Road with his new teammates before training ahead of the Division One clash which starts tomorrow.

The 22-year-old all-rounder, who bowls off-spin, will also be available for the whole Royal London One-Day Cup competition, which begins on August 2.

Fresh from taking four wickets in the Vitality Blast final against Hampshire Hawks, leg-spinner Matt Parkinson returns to the red ball squad after missing the draw against Somerset whilst on international duty with England.

Jos Buttler, Liam Livingstone and Phil Salt are all with England for the white ball series against South Africa. Saqib Mahmood, who signed a new contract today, remains out injured with a back stress fracture.

In response to the extreme heat forecast for Tuesday, each session on Day 1 at will be shortened by 30 minutes with a new close of play time of 4.30pm. Play will still begin as scheduled at 11am. Find out more, here.

Lancashire Cricket squad to face Northamptonshire:
Dane Vilas*+, Tom Bailey, George Balderson, Josh Bohannon, Steven Croft, Keaton Jennings, Rob Jones, Jack Morley, Matt Parkinson, Washington Sundar, Luke Wells, Will Williams, Luke Wood

[themaclad]

ndian International Washington Sundar starred on debut as he took four wickets on day one of this LV= County Championship match at Wantage Road.

Rob Keogh and Like McManus both scored half-centuries to put the heat back on Lancashire’s bowlers to leave in the game nicely poised going into day too.

Some tight and disciplined bowling from Lancashire’s attack had reduced Northamptonshire to 124 for five in temperatures approaching 40 degrees, Will Williams picking up two scalps.

But Keogh led the counter attack, striking six boundaries as he passed 5,000 career runs in first class cricket. He found a willing partner in McManus and the pair shared a 77-run partnership in 18 overs to take Northamptonshire past 200.

However, Lancashire made further inroads before the close with Washington claiming four wickets for 69. He removed Keogh thanks to a stunning one-handed slip catch from Luke Wells, while Tom Taylor was trapped lbw attempting a reverse sweep.



McManus reached his fourth half-century of the season shortly before the close as Northamptonshire finished on 218 for seven.

Earlier on a day reduced to 72 overs because of the extreme heat, Northamptonshire’s top order failed to capitalise after winning the toss and deciding to bat, despite most batters getting good starts.

New red ball captain Will Young saw off the new ball but fell cheaply for two to Sundar's second delivery when the batter edged behind off an attempted cut shot.

Ricardo Vasconcelos, who stood down as captain ahead of this game, survived a scare in the first over when he edged behind, but was soon into his work, driving down the ground for four and playing through extra cover for another boundary.

He had moved onto 23 when he survived a strong appeal when Luke Wood got one to nip back. The left-arm pacer got his man in his next over though when Vasconcelos flashed loosely outside off stump and steered the ball straight to second slip. It was a testing, fiery spell either side of lunch from Wood who troubled the batters by pitching the ball up, mixed in with some well-directed short deliveries.

Emilio Gay, fresh from a century at Canterbury last week, made the most of the fast outfield with five boundaries before lunch. He also stepped down the pitch to dispatch Sundar high into the Lynn Wilson Stand.

Northamptonshire went into lunch on 63 for two but scoring slowed considerably after the interval in the face of some disciplined Lancashire bowling which soon reaped rewards when Procter was adjudged lbw to Williams for 19, struck on the pads attempting to work a ball to leg.

Williams picked up a second wicket when Gay (35), who had become becalmed, adding just three runs in an hour’s play after lunch, drove loosely and Rob Jones took a sharp catch at second slip.



Keogh played positively from the outset. He got off the mark with a well-timed clip off his toes for four and although he played and missed consecutive balls from Williams, he was severe on the slow bowlers. He played a perfectly timed backfoot punch for four off Sundar and then smashed two deliveries from Matt Parkinson through extra cover.

He combined with Ryan Rickleton in a stand of 43 but the South African international fell on the stroke of tea for 22 when Sundar rapped him on the pads as he played back in his crease.

McManus was equally aggressive against Parkinson, sweeping him for four and smashing him down the ground for two further boundaries.

Lancashire turned back to seam but Keogh and McManus kept the scoreboard ticking over, taking the ones and twos on offer and reaching the ropes whenever the bowlers strayed in line or length.

Lancashire turned back to the off-spin of Sundar, who duly made the breakthrough to leave Lancashire on top. McManus who struck Luke Wells down the ground for six in the closing overs will be key if Northamptonshire are to try to push on towards 300 in the morning.

[themaclad]

Northamptonshire seamer Jack White claimed his maiden five-wicket haul for just 14 runs as Lancashire were bowled out for 132 on day two of this LV= County Championship match at Northampton.
White, 30, had a late introduction to professional cricket, making his first-class debut in 2020 after coming through the Minor Counties system in Cumbria and Cumberland. He caught the eye of former Steelbacks assistant coach Phil Rowe during a highly-successful season playing grade cricket in New South Wales in 2017-18 which led to a contract at Wantage Road.

Making the most of the opportunity of his run in the Championship side this season, he set the tone against Lancashire, striking in the second over of the innings and running through their dangerous top order in 13 overs of attacking, disciplined bowling. He benefited too from humid, overcast conditions as Lancashire lost five wickets for 27 runs either side of lunch. Josh Bohannon top scored with 31.

Northamptonshire took a first innings lead of 103 and by close of play had reached 25 for one in their second dig before bad light and rain stopped play.

In the morning, Lancashire made short work of picking up the last three Northamptonshire first innings wickets for the addition of just 17 runs. Washington Sundar celebrated a five-fer on debut when he had Lewis McManus caught at deep midwicket for 61. Meanwhile Luke Wood knocked over White’s stumps and dismissed Simon Kerrigan thanks to a sensational diving catch by Rob Jones who ran across from short leg to take the ball behind the stumps.



When Lancashire batted, Northamptonshire’s seamers found plenty of movement through the air and off the pitch. White had early reward for his work, getting the ball to jag back and trap Luke Wells lbw playing back in his crease.

Keaton Jennings rode his luck early on, playing and missing against the seaming ball and edging through the slips for four. He gradually opened up his scoring options, playing some pleasant drives and greeted the introduction of Kerrigan just before lunch by flicking a full toss away for four. He fell next ball though, caught at slip, as he pushed at a wide delivery outside off-stump.

White was back in the wickets column immediately after lunch when Croft was adjudged leg before and added a third scalp when Jones chopped on attempting to cut.

Bohannon was circumspect early in his innings, a punch through extra cover a rare sign of aggression as he navigated the seaming ball. He started to play his shots as the afternoon wore on, smashing Taylor to the cover boundary and dispatching Kerrigan over long-on for six. He had a reprieve when Ricardo Vasconcelos put down a low chance at slip, but eventually fell to White for 31, perhaps unlucky to be adjudged lbw to a ball that looked like it would have missed leg stump.



Washington became White’s fifth victim when he too fell lbw to leave Lancashire in all sorts of trouble at 77 for six..

Lancashire skipper Dane Vilas attempted a counterattack, aiming a few lusty blows. He had reached 18 when he nicked behind off Tom Taylor.

The end came quickly. Wood top edged a Ben Sanderson delivery and was caught behind, while Rob Keogh chipped in with two wickets to wrap up the innings.

When Northamptonshire batted again Vasconcelos continued his poor run of form since returning from injury. He survived consecutive lbw appeals and hit back with a couple of boundaries before bottom edging a ball from Will Williams to substitute keeper George Lavelle. Emilio Gay and Will Young survived against a seaming ball under dark skies to close out the day with a lead of 128.