[themaclad]

Lancashire 230 (Jennings 60, Carson 4-51) and 255 for 5 (Jennings 91* Davies 73) beat Sussex 328 (van Zyl 79, Haines 58) and 154 (Rawlins 45, Bailey 3-28) by five wickets

Former England opener Keaton Jennings led Lancashire to their third win on the trot in the LV=Insurance County Championship against Sussex at the 1st Central County Ground, Hove.

Lancashire won by five wickets shortly after lunch on the final day to stay top of the Group 3 table, and Jennings followed his first-innings 60 with an unbeaten 91.

Sussex battled hard to the last but ultimately paid for their cheap second-innings dismissal and Lancashire were worthy winners.

The visitors started the day on 124 for 2, still requiring another 129, with Jennings unbeaten on 35. That was after Alex Davies had set Lancashire up nicely with a quick-fire 73 off just 59 balls on third day.

Sussex opened with their two leading wicket-takers in the match, Stuart Meaker and Jack Carson. Jennings reverse swept the ever-threatening Carson for four and Lancashire appeared to be making serene progress towards their target when, after 35 minutes' play, night-watchman Saqib Mahmood had a rush of blood and charged down the wicket to drive Carson. He missed the ball and wicketkeeper Ben Brown made a simple stumping to put Lancashire at 147 for 3.

New batsman Liam Livingstone did not last long. With 100 runs still needed, Livingstone, on three, clipped Carson to midwicket where Delray Rawlins tumbled forward to take the catch. Sussex were back in the match.

But Lancashire always looked favourites while Jennings was at the crease. The batsman reached his half-century from 105 balls and looked generally untroubled, though he did edge Meaker just short of second slip.

Sussex thought they had made a breakthrough at the other end when Josh Bohannon, on 9, survived an appeal for a stumping off Carson only after both umpires had consulted.

While Jennings continued to play the anchor role, Bohannon went for his strokes. He flicked Jamie Atkins to fine leg for four and guided Henry Crocombe to third man for another boundary. Then he pulled Crocombe backward of square for another four.

Carson remained the most threatening bowler, but after 90 minutes he was replaced by Rawlins. When he bowled a full toss, Bohannon pulled him over midwicket for six.

Bohannon's aggressive innings of 46 came to an end when he pulled Crocombe to long leg where Tom Clark took a fine catch; Bohannon's 53-ball innings included eight fours and a six.

At lunch Lancashire were 228 for 5, still needing 25 runs, and they got there within half an hour of returning from the break.

[themaclad]

News from Wales

Glamorgan travel to Manchester to meet Lancashire in their next game in the LV=Insurance County Championship with the contest at the Emirates Old Trafford scheduled to get under way at 11am on Thursday, 6 May (writes Andrew Hignell)


Glamorgan’s resounding victory over Kent inside two days at Cardiff, in what was their shortest-ever four-day Championship encounter, has lifted the Welsh county into fourth place in the group table, level with Northants after the East Midlands side lost by one run in their game with Yorkshire. Lancashire are in top spot after defeating Sussex by five wickets at Hove – their third success of the summer having already secured victories over Kent and Northamptonshire earlier in April..


It took Glamorgan just 26.5 overs to dismiss Kent last Friday afternoon, but the record for the shortest-ever innings by any county against Glamorgan in first-class cricket still stands at 14 overs – achieved at Liverpool in the Club’s Championship-winning season of 1997 when they humbled Lancashire for 51 on the final day of a rain-affected contest as Glamorgan won by 221 runs with Waqar Younis taking 7/25 in an explosive spell of pace bowling during which he was twice poised to claim a hat-trick.


This contest in 1997 remains the Welsh county’s most recent victory on Lancashire soil in a Championship match with their last success at Old Trafford coming four years earlier when 95 from Adrian Dale and 55 by Matthew Maynard steered the side to a seven-wicket victory. This win in 1993 is one of seven victories recorded by Glamorgan in 37 Championship matches at the Manchester ground with their other successes coming in 1946, 1951, 1957, 1965, 1968 and 1989.


Their most recent visit to Old Trafford came in August 2015 as the Welsh county’s players experienced one of the perverse features of Manchester’s microclimate in that more rain often falls during August than in February. Over five hours play was lost in this contest with Glamorgan being forced to follow-on during the final day before Jacques Rudolph and Chris Cooke skilfully guided their team to the safety of a draw.


Glamorgan’s previous visit to Manchester in 2013 had also ended all square. Both Murray Goodwin and Gareth Rees posted forthright hundreds, with Murray’s 194 remaining the highest individual innings for Glamorgan on Lancashire soil. As far as the bowling records are concerned in the contests against the Red Roses, Waqar Younis’ seven-wicket return at Liverpool in 1997 is the best in an innings for Glamorgan in Lancashire, whilst Steve Watkin’s figures of 13/159 in the nine-run victory at Old Trafford in 1989 remain the best match figures for the Welsh county in Lancashire.

[themaclad]

Glamorgan 117 for 3 (Lloyd 78) vs Lancashire

In the age of non-stop touring, a county season which very nearly fills a six-month window, and a T20 treadmill which just keeps on spinning, the best players in the world face one another with increasing regularity.


Jofra Archer's dominance of David Warner has moved from an Ashes series into a limited-overs series and an IPL season; Jos Buttler tempered his attacking instincts facing Rashid Khan last week after seeing his head-to-head record against him on the TV broadcast before walking out to bat; and Cheteshwar Pujara faced 255 balls from Pat Cummins in a single Test series in the Australian summer. Even team-mates at T20 franchises get used to facing one another: Kyle Jamieson recently revealed that Virat Kohli had volunteered to bat against him in the Royal Challengers Bangalore nets, just in case he wanted a dress rehearsal for the World Test Championship final.

But as a rainy day in Manchester loomed, the battle between Glamorgan's best batter and Lancashire's top bowler - two of the world's best in their respective disciplines - was a blank slate across all formats. James Anderson to Marnus Labuschagne: 0 runs, 0 dismissals, 0 balls.

The reasons were multi-faceted. By the time Labuschagne had come out to bat as a concussion replacement in the second Test of the 2019 Ashes, Anderson was done for the summer after pinging his calf on the series' first morning. Neither man has played in an overseas T20 league; Labuschagne has never played against a touring England side in an Ashes warm-up; and Anderson hasn't been involved in England's white-ball set-up since the 2015 World Cup.

The elements conspired to keep them apart for a couple of hours longer at Emirates Old Trafford. A hailstorm delayed the start by 25 minutes, and by the time Lancashire made their first breakthrough of the day, Saqib Mahmood rearranging Joe Cooke's stumps to bring Labuschagne out at No. 3, Anderson had already bowled a six-over spell in what was his first outing of the season.

But the main event arrived three balls after the lunch interval. Anderson steamed in from the Brian Statham End with three slips waiting, and was immediately probing away in the channel outside Labuschagne's off stump. The first ball was squirted away towards backward point, the second left alone, the third blocked firmly, and the fourth struck the batter on the back thigh as he misjudged the length.

The fifth ball Labuschagne faced from Anderson, at the start of the third over of the afternoon, was also his last. He shuffled across to cover his stumps and was forced to play a shot by Anderson's faultless fourth-stump line, with a hint of shape away off the seam. Labuschagne played innocent despite the slip cordon's celebrations, but Michael Gough's finger went up without hesitation.


Labuschagne had struggled for rhythm against Lancashire's three other seamers before lunch, taking 24 balls to get off the mark. Mahmood and Danny Lamb both beat his outside edge, and he was nearly bowled shouldering arms to the first ball he faced. He had been trapped lbw by Darren Stevens in his first game of the season, the day before Stevens' 45th birthday, and nicked off to a 38-year-old on Thursday - old age and treachery triumphant over youthful exuberance once again.

It would be unwise to make any wise-cracks on that subject within Anderson's earshot, mind you. "You get to a certain age and people begin saying you have to start slowing down or you're losing the ability to do your job," he said in an interview with the Guardian this week. "Why should I start slowing down?"

He had initially planned to play his first game of the season two weeks ago, away against Kent, but a tight calf muscle delayed his return. He looked fully fit on the first day of this match, returning 1 for 22 from his 13 overs; there were a couple of looseners early on, but he appeared to find some rhythm later in the day despite the rain's repeated interventions.

The majority of Anderson's balls were bowled to David Lloyd, who batted as fluently as could be expected on a stop-start day after Glamorgan surprisingly chose to bat first under gloomy skies. Lloyd was watchful against Anderson but looked to score against the rest of the Lancashire attack - hitting Mahmood for four fours in an over after lunch - and scored heavily either side of backward point. It was cruel for him that Glamorgan were made to bat for 4.1 overs in the evening session in between the showers: he was caught behind four balls before the close, looping one up to Dane Vilas while playing half a shot against a Luke Wood short ball.

Labuschagne's dismissal leaves Anderson on 990 first-class wickets, and given the gradual decrease in the number of first-class matches played in most domestic competitions worldwide, it is quite possible that he will be the last man to ever reach four figures. Lancashire may hope he can do it wearing their colours, most likely at Wantage Road in two weeks' time, but England's first Test of the summer against New Zealand at Lord's would be a fitting occasion.

[themaclad]

Further wickets for James Anderson and Saqib Mahmood, along with contrasting half centuries by Glamorgan pair Dan Douthwaite and Callum Taylor were among the highlights as Lancashire and Glamorgan battled for supremacy on another rain-affected day at Emirates Old Trafford.

Anderson continued to close in on one thousand first-class wickets with numbers 991 and 992 arriving on this second day of LV= Insurance County Championship action with his final figures of 3-47 coming from 25 overs.



But Lancashire were frustrated by good partnerships from the Glamorgan lower order with the last four wickets adding 150 runs to help the visitors reach 344 before Keaton Jennings and Alex Davies safely negotiated 18 overs to reach stumps on 22-0.

Anderson and Luke Wood both produced fine, testing spells on another rain-interrupted morning of just 16 overs to claim a wicket apiece, but it could easily have been much more.

Glamorgan had resumed on 117-3 but Anderson struck early in his second over of the day going round the wicket and trapping Billy Root lbw playing back to a pitched up delivery for 19.



Meanwhile Wood had Chris Cooke dropped at slip, a difficult chance low down, and the batsman also edged through the slip cordon twice for four, the ball bouncing awkwardly in front of the fielders on both occasions while another edge high off the bat landed safely at point.

But the left arm paceman eventually found reward when Kiran Carlson fended off a brute of a short, rising delivery that flew to Anderson at third slip to depart for 18.



Taylor nearly followed in identical fashion from the very next delivery with the ball dropping just short of gully despite Josh Bohannon’s sprint and dive to try and effect a catch with Glamorgan 162-5 at lunch.

And Lancashire enjoyed further success early in the afternoon although it arrived in unusual fashion.

Mahmood pulled up in his run up with a leg problem and, after consulting with Red Rose physiotherapist Sam Byrne, limped off to receive treatment.

Josh Bohannon took over the responsibility of completing the over and struck with his third ball which Glamorgan skipper Cooke steered straight to Liam Livingstone at gully to depart ruefully for 33.



But the visitors fought back splendidly with an 81-run partnership between Taylor and Dan Douthwaite that spanned 29 overs to frustrate the Red Rose attack.

Douthwaite, who looks to be a very handy batsman to have coming in at number eight, was the more aggressive of the pair, attacking where possible which included hitting Parkinson and Wood for sixes and he played some nicely timed drives during his 95-ball innings of 61.

Douthwaite departed lbw on the stroke of tea when Anderson nipped back a ball of full length to claim his third wicket, but overseas all-rounder Michael Neser on his debut then helped Taylor add 43 runs for the eighth wicket before both fell in quick succession; Neser getting a leading edge off Parkinson to be caught at short cover for 17 while Taylor’s hard-fought innings ended on 58 when he was lbw to Mahmood.



But another enterprising partnership of 30 off 38 balls took Glamorgan to 344 all out, Timm van der Gugten largely responsible with two sixes in his 23 off 25 balls before he holed out to mid-on off Mahmood attempting to get the visitors up to a further batting point before the 110-over cut-off.

Lancashire had chipped 22 runs off that total by the close, but with a very poor weather forecast for Saturday, a draw is starting to feel like a fairly inevitable outcome.

“Credit to Glamorgan, they’ve batted well,” said Saqib Mahmood.

“Although I think we could have bowled a bit better. The wicket has flattened out a lot since yesterday. That’s why we would have bowled first if we had won the toss, knowing that day two would have been the nicest day to bat.

“But with the wicket flattening out, the ball getting softer plus it was a little bit wet too, and as a result lateral movement went out of the game.

“But we stuck at it and got all the bonus points in the end.”



Mahmood took three in the Glamorgan innings to take his tally to 13 for this season and he added:

“If I’m honest I’ve bowled better this season but not had the rewards I maybe deserved, so I’ll take it (today),” he grinned.

“I just try to stay with the process (that’s brought wickets). I don’t go chasing them. I’ve had spells where I’ve just stuck at bowling the right length and doing that quickly.

“When there’s nothing happening in the third or fourth innings you need to come in and bowl short or bowl a few quick spells. I feel I’ve been able to adapt to both of them.”

There was concern today when Mahmood pulled up while bowling and went off the field and he admitted: “My ankle is pretty sore, I just need to go and ice it some more, but you know as a bowler you are going to get sore at times. But once we get through this game, we’ve got a week off to recover.”



And the fast bowler has enjoyed opening the attack with James Anderson once again.

“We had a lot of success in 2019,” he reflected. “So to bowl with him again was quite nice.

“He’s come in (for his first game this season) and gone at under two an over. On a wicket like this it shows how good he is. He hasn’t played for a while and having spent a lot of time with him during the winter you learn a lot just watching him day in, day out and see how consistent he is.

On non-responsive pitches in the sub-continent he just wasn’t bowling a bad ball so that’s something I’ve tried to add to my game, to be more accurate and consistent.”

[themaclad]

Keaton Jennings and Josh Bohannon both posted their third half-centuries of the season while 93 runs were scored during an entertaining final session as Lancashire and Glamorgan settled for chasing bonus points on the final day of this LV= County Championship match at Emirates Old Trafford.

Lancashire reached 301-9 just before 6pm and the draw gained both sides 14 points.

Jennings and Alex Davies had resumed the day with Lancashire 22-0 in reply to Glamorgan’s 344 all out, but after adding a single to his overnight fourteen Davies received the ball of the morning from Michael Neser who produced a seaming delivery that found an edge eagerly snapped up by wicketkeeper Chris Cooke.



But Jennings and Luke Wells soon settled into a good partnership, Jennings cutting van der Gugten for four and Wells contributing three lovely drives for four in a 62-run partnership.

Wells looked in good touch during his innings of 30, but after lofting off spinner Callum Taylor straight for four his attempt to repeat the shot off Andrew Salter instead skied a catch to Dan Douthwaite at mid-off who took a well-judged catch in the swirling wind.

Unperturbed Jennings moved steadily to reach his third half-century in three innings soon after lunch with a sumptuous cover drive for four.



But having batted nicely to reach 64 the Red Rose opener sliced a drive off the spin of Salter to Callum Taylor at backward point to depart with Lancashire on 132-3.

Liam Livingstone and Josh Bohannon then combined to produce an entertaining partnership of 51 in just 10 overs to rapidly accelerate the scoring.

Livingstone got off the mark with two straight sixes in three balls off Salter-reaching 3,000 first-class runs in the process-and Bohannon followed with a further maximum in the bowler’s next over and then another when Marnus Labuschagne took over the bowling duties at the James Anderson end.



Livingstone perished for 25 after pulling Timm van der Gugten high to deep square leg where Joe Cooke took the catch just inside the boundary while Bohannon cut Taylor to Salter at backward point just after reaching his fifty with Lancashire 208-5.

Rain and bad light took 12 overs out of the day either side of tea and Lancashire went on the attack with the floodlights on, the weather threatening to close in and the overs starting to run out.



Dane Vilas thumped two fours in his 25 off 31 balls, Luke Wood hit three in his 28 off 26 and Danny Lamb made 22 off 21 as 93 runs arrived in a hurry in an entertaining finish to the day.

But from 286-9 it took a great contribution from Matt Parkinson with an unbeaten 16 in testing conditions, aided by James Anderson to steer Lancashire to a third batting point.

That arrived when Anderson drove David Lloyd through the covers for three and take Lancashire to 301-9 with the declaration following and the players bumping fists on the draw just before 6pm.



Glen Chapple was happy with the outcome of the day.

“At the start of the day getting 300 would have been a decent benchmark,” said Lancashire’s Head Coach.

“With a really good day we might have hoped for 350 but I think we’d have taken the points we eventually got.

“I thought Glamorgan looked a really strong team and played well. Their two overseas signings have really strengthened them, they’re a good unit.”

And Chapple was delighted with the recent form of Keaton Jennings.

“Keaton has been playing nicely. Early season you can always give a chance here and there and he hadn’t had that much luck until the last three knocks,” he explained. “He’s in a really good place with his game now as are most of the players.

“Everyone is contributing and the team is functioning pretty well.

This game marked the halfway point in the group stages of the Championship with Lancashire top of Group 3 on 93 points and Chapple added: “We’ve played some good cricket. This is probably the first game we haven’t dominated; it was pretty even.

“We prioritized the first five games at the start of the season and are delighted where we are at the moment.

“We are showing we are strong and have got depth in the team. Our batting and bowling stats are strong throughout. It bodes well if we can keep that going and keep everyone fit."



The fast bowlers have been rotated in each game so far and Chapple explained:

“We feel bowlers are more vulnerable at the start of the season. Four day cricket is hard work and however much training you do prior to the season it doesn’t harden you to the rigours of it.

“As we move forward they should develop some physical durability and we now have week off before we go into a batch of three games. So that’s not as crucial as the first five in a row.

“That will mean there are more challenges ahead in picking the team. It’s a good problem to have but it means there a lot of lads who deserve to play.

“None of the lads we’ve rested have wanted to rest. They want to play. But they understand we are trying to protect the bowling unit which will make us stronger as a team.

“We’ve got people pushing for places, and some are playing in the seconds at the moment like Jonesy and Crofty. They’re not out of the team because of poor form. It’s just the way things are at the moment.

“Normally players will get their chance through unavailability or injury and they will have to keep working for the best interests of the team.



After a week off Lancashire travel to Northampton for their next game.

“Northants are a good team,” said Chapple.

“A lot of the teams look strong this year, and it will be a real test. Where they are in the table makes it really clear that if we get a good result there it will put us in a fabulous position. So it will be another big game and one we are looking forward to.”



And Chapple was very impressed by James Anderson’s first game of the season.

“Jimmy (Anderson) will hopefully be available for that game, and I thought he bowled brilliantly to say that’s his first game for a couple of months.

“It was an outstanding performance and once again evidence of how committed he is to his cricket and to playing for both England and Lancashire as well.”

[themaclad]

Northants Away

The County Ground is a cricket venue on Wantage Road in the Abington area of Northampton, England. It is home to Northamptonshire County Cricket Club.

It 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.

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 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.

Sir Elton John played the first ever concert at the County Ground on 25 June 2011. The show lasted for over two and a half hours. Sir Elton was supported by Ed Drewett.[4] Subsequent concerts have included Tom Jones, Olly Murs, Little Mix and Craig David/Rita Ora.

While the two sports clubs shared the ground, the cricket club's address was 'Wantage Road' whereas the football club's address was 'Abington Avenue'.


MEMORABLE NORTHANS CRICKETER

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]

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.


Always a favourite of mine

Iffy forecast

[themaclad]

Lancashire 59 for 0 vs Northamptonshire

Lancashire openers Keaton Jennings and Alex Davies posted their fourth 50 partnership of the season as day one of their LV= County Championship clash with Northamptonshire was cut short by heavy rain.

Just 70 minutes play was possible as Northamptonshire welcomed back crowds to Wantage Road to watch Lancashire advance to 59 without loss from 16.5 overs in the morning session.

Northamptonshire captain Adam Rossington had won the toss and opted to give his seamers first use of a pitch in overcast conditions. Gareth Berg and Ben Sanderson beat the bat regularly and saw a number of edges fly just wide of the slip cordon.

The Lancashire pair though looked to be positive, with Davies striking three fours and bringing up the 50 stand when he clipped Tom Taylor through midwicket. Jennings then found the boundary by going down one knee to stroke Wayne Parnell through the covers before surviving a big shout for leg before wicket against the same bowler on 20.

The rain then forced the players from the field. A planned resumption after lunch had to be abandoned when the bad weather returned and play was eventually called off shortly after 4pm.

[themaclad]

Drifting to a soggy conclusion

Lancashire 75 for 1 vs Northamptonshire

Gareth Berg made the only breakthrough for Northamptonshire as just 11 overs were possible on another rain-affected day of this LV= County Championship tie with Lancashire at Wantage Road.

The evergreen seamer found plenty of bounce and movement and claimed his 20th wicket of the season when he enticed Keaton Jennings to drive loosely at a ball outside off stump and edge through to wicketkeeper Adam Rossington, who took a comfortable catch.

With Jennings departing for 27, Alex Davies was joined by Luke Wells and the pair faced a testing spell from Berg and Ben Sanderson, fresh from their 19-wicket demolition of Sussex two weeks ago. They maintained pressure, beating the bat regularly and making it difficult to score.

Davies did manage to break the shackles briefly by cutting a rare wide one from Sanderson for four and later driving him through midwicket for another boundary. By the time play was called off Lancashire had advanced to 75 for 1 after 28.1 overs.

The start of play was delayed until 2.30pm due to a wet outfield after the whole of the second day was lost to heavy rain. Jennings and Davies were resuming on 59 without loss, their fourth 50 opening stand of the season.

After further interruptions due to showers, the umpires called stumps shortly after 4pm following further rain and hail which turned the outfield white as the players left the field.

[themaclad]

Lancashire 88 for 1 (Davies 51*) drew with Northamptonshire

Alex Davies notched a fourth half-century of the season before torrential rain condemned Northamptonshire's LV= Insurance County Championship clash with Lancashire to an inevitable draw at Wantage Road.


Only 38 balls were possible following a delayed start, but Lancashire's diminutive opener made the most of the small window in the weather to reach his landmark with a gorgeous cover drive for four, his sixth boundary in a 105-ball stay.

It didn't come a moment too soon as just three balls later the heavens opened driving the players from the field with Lancashire 88 for 1 and Davies 51 not out.

The cloudburst didn't last long, but the cumulative affect of the rain throughout the game, rendered a restart impossible. It meant only 34.3 overs had been possible across all four days of this encounter, the second of which was washed out without a ball being bowled.

Both sides take eight points each for the draw, enough to move the visitors top of Group 3 ahead of next week's Roses clash with Yorkshire at Old Trafford.

Northamptonshire remain fourth ahead of their visit to Hove to face Sussex, where, weather permitting, they badly need a win to keep alive hopes of being among the six counties chasing the Championship laurels in September.

Lancashire skipper Dane Vilas lamented the fact that James Anderson didn't get a chance to bowl in this match before joining the England squad for their two-Test series against New Zealand starting next week.

"It's terrible when you come to a ground like this, see such a nice pitch and then you don't get much cricket on it," Vilas said. "Guys like Jimmy needed overs. That was the main thing for him going towards the Test match.

"We won't have Jimmy against Yorkshire - he'll be back in the England bubble on Friday, but we have a good stable of fast bowlers who as always have learnt a lot from him.

"The bowlers have had a heavy workload this season with the schedule, but saying that we had a week off last week and now this game here. We've topped up with a few overs in the mornings in the indoor centre and we're fresh and ready for the next two games."

Adam Rossington, the Northamptonshire captain, said: "The weather has beaten us. The ground-staff have been fantastic doing their best to get us on when they could, but just one of those things.

"I think the closer we get to the end of this section of the competition teams might be trying to set up some run chases to get results. We have got to get first-innings runs which will be the key to setting up those games."

[themaclad]

TV Coverage on Sky via Lancashire You Tube feed

https://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/2643123

https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/whiteros...0d0ff67d74

Opposition news

orkshire are aiming to crank things up a gear at just the right time when they travel to face fellow high-flyers Lancashire at Emirates Old Trafford on Thursday (11am).

The White Rose players and coaches have not hidden away from the fact they have been nowhere near their best this season despite remaining unbeaten in the LV= Insurance County Championship with three wins and three draws.

The 200-run win over Kent at Canterbury last month was their best performance before battling wins against Sussex at Hove and Northamptonshire at Emerald Headingley.

Those battling qualities have built confidence, but this week will provide them with their biggest test of 2021.

Lancashire are also unbeaten with three wins and three draws, sitting top of Group Three by three points from second-placed Yorkshire.

“You would say that ourselves and Lancashire are probably the two best teams in the group,” said coach Andrew Gale ahead of the Sky Sports televised fixture.

“As I’ve said to the boys, we keep finding a way to get ourselves in winning positions without stringing together anywhere near a perfect performance.

“That’s encouraging, but we can play better.

“It’s going to be a great game of cricket because we’re two evenly matched sides. Two good teams playing with confidence, and it’s a Roses game. That always adds a little bit of extra spice to it.

“Fingers crossed, we can get four days of good weather.”

At the top of Group Three, Lancashire have 101 points from six games, Yorkshire 98 from six, Glamorgan 80 from seven and Northamptonshire 76 from six.

Yorkshire will be without England players Jonny Bairstow, Dawid Malan and Joe Root, while Lancashire will be without Jimmy Anderson and likely Jos Buttler.

A win for either side would represent a giant step towards a top two finish.

A win for Lancashire would also be their first in Championship cricket over Yorkshire since 2011 and their first at Old Trafford since 2000 when Sourav Ganguly and Darren Lehmann were the overseas players for the Red and White Rose.

Lancashire completed the double over Yorkshire in 2011, but they are winless in nine four-day games since (Yorkshire five wins and four draws). That statistic includes last season’s rainy Bob Willis Trophy draw at Emerald Headingley.

“To go over there and win would be brilliant,” said Yorkshire captain Steve Patterson.

“It’s always a good game against Lancashire, but in the context of the season and the league table there will be some added significance to it.

“They’re a good side with some experience and good young players like we have.

“People have asked me in the past, ‘Is the Roses game the one you look forward to the most?’ And I’ve always said, ‘For myself, it’s all about playing against the best teams and trying to win those games. That’s the biggest challenge there is’.

“I love winning any four-day game. But the fact that they’re at the top and we’re second makes it more valuable. It doesn’t make it more valuable because it’s Lancashire, only because they are top at the moment.

“They’re at the top of the table, and we want to be top at the end of that game.”

A daily crowd in the region of 4,000 will be permitted in Manchester, with Patterson adding: “I’m looking forward to it. But the Scarborough one will be even more special because we will have our own crowd back.

“We always get well supported there, and our fans love to watch us against Lancs.

“Hopefully we get some good weather for both games.”

SQUAD NEWS
Joe Root is unavailable having now joined up with England for the upcoming Test series against New Zealand. All-rounder George Hill comes into the squad, having made 47 and 77 in last week’s Second Eleven game against Nottinghamshire.

Off-spinner Jack Shutt comes into the squad for the first time this year, whilst Dawid Malan has not been included for personal reasons, but is hoping to return for the LV= Insurance County Championship match against Sussex next week.

Matthew Fisher continues his rehabilitation from an abdominal injury.

13-MAN SQUAD TO FACE LANCASHIRE AT OLD TRAFFORD
Gary Ballance
Dom Bess
Harry Brook
Ben Coad
Harry Duke (Wicketkeeper)
George Hill
Tom Kohler-Cadmore
Adam Lyth
Duanne Olivier
Steve Patterson (Captain)
Jack Shutt
Jordan Thompson
David Willey


I'm there 1st and 4th days weather is decent win this and we can almost smell the title!!!!!