[Ska'dForLife-WBA]

Day Three

Morning: On a wonderfully warm and sunny Friday, aggression was the watchword from the Pears. Some early movement of the ball cost Joe Clarke and Dolly their wickets, but the lead was already up above 502 - the highest score successfully chased in the County Championship, way back in 1925 - and newcomers to the crease Ben Cox and Ross Whiteley had license to motor onward. A torrent of fours and sixes followed, carrying the home side to 484-7 with a lead of 601, at which point Dolly at last deemed it safe to declare. To win, Lancashire would need nothing less than the largest run chase in the history of first-class cricket worldwide. It was with that paltry task before them that Keaton Jennings and Alex Davies made their way out to the middle and steered the visitors to 34-0 at lunch.

Afternoon: There are times at Worcestershire County Cricket Club when even a 600-run cushion doesn't feel particularly safe. Most of the afternoon session fell into this category, as Jennings and Davies put together a 126-run first-wicket partnership on a pitch devoid of menace. The session was nearly over when Dolly brought himself into the attack and came within a whisker of removing Jennings, only for Ross Whiteley to drop a simple chance at slip. The Pears faithful were still bemoaning that missed chance when Alex Davies shaped to play a cut at the next delivery, swiped grotesquely at the ball and was struck plumb on the back pad. With the score 154-1 at tea, things looked a little better.

Evening: Haseeb Hameed really is having a torrid time of it, and his troubles only grew half an hour into the evening session when he got himself out attempting a leave for the second time this match. Acting skipper Dolly sent down a fantastic googly which Hameed failed to pick, offering no shot and thrusting his front pad forward at the last instant to block the ball outside off-stump as it turned back on him. The pitch remained friendly to the batsmen, and Jennings was able to complete his century without too much trouble or bother, but his partners continued to lose their wickets after making decent starts. Both Shiv Chanderpaul and Rob Jones were dismissed in identical fashion, caught behind off the bowling of Charlie Morris by Cox standing up to the stumps. At close, Lancashire were 269-4 and needing a further 333 to win with Jennings unbeaten on 135. If he can stay at the crease for the majority of Saturday then a draw or win for the visitors isn't out of the question, though he'd need good support and contributions from the other end. For the Pears, anything but a win from this position would be an abysmal failure; with the new ball due in three overs and the conditions at New Road notoriously bowler-friendly in the first hour of each day, we have to aim for a couple of dismissals before noon, with Jennings the prize wicket.

We've had precisely 1,130 runs in three days of cricket, with the sun shining bright and all three results still technically possible. A remarkable game by any standard.