Report: Lancashire v Warwickshire, County Championship

Day Four

Any hope of an exciting climax to the last day of the Vitality County Championship encounter between Lancashire and Warwickshire was dashed by the rain after only one hour and a quarter of play was possible at Emirates Old Trafford as the game finished in a draw.

Poor weather had dominated proceedings throughout the encounter but with the visitors 96 for three overnight with a lead of 231 all results were still possible in Manchester given Lancashire’s brittle batting order this season and Warwickshire’s desire to chase a first win of the campaign.

But as heavy showers swept across the ground throughout the morning both sets of players were thwarted with repeated pitch inspections coming and going without any chance of play.

Eventually a break in the weather saw the game resume at 3.15pm with a generous Nottinghamshire declaration giving Lancashire the opportunity to embark on a desperate run chase with 44 overs still scheduled.

Luke Wells quickly departed in the second over, pulling Michael Rae straight to Jake Lintott on the square leg boundary, but then for a brief time the hosts looked as if they could pull off something special.

Keaton Jennings slapped three boundaries but was bowled comprehensively by Jacob Bethall when attempting a reverse sweep that ended with the Lancashire skipper lying on his backside and out for 18 while Josh Bohannon upper cut Rae for six before he skied the same bowler to Alex Davies at mid on for a ten ball 15.

An almost identical shot saw George Bell hand Rae his third wicket leaving Tom Bruce and Matty Hurst at the crease with the pair putting on 43 runs before the rain came for a final decisive time at 4.30pm, leaving the New Zealander unbeaten on 31 and the young wicket keeper 15 not out as Lancashire closed on 89 for four off the 15 overs possible.

Lancashire claimed 11 points from the game, taking them off the bottom of Division One, while Warwickshire took 12, leaving them seventh.

Warwickshire head coach Mark Robinson said:  “It was a difficult toss to win, with the floodlights on everything pointed to bowl first, but we knew the ball was going to spin which it did.  

“Alex Davies played an outstanding knock. After day two nobody knew what a good score would be and he should be really proud of his innings. It should have been a match winning knock and it’s a shame that it wasn’t. The way he batted against one of the world’s best spinners, Nathan Lyon, who doesn’t normally miss the rough but in this game he couldn’t hit it. I thought they (Lancashire) bowled defensively.  

“Jake Lintott was brought into the side to do a job to knock over the tail which he did and I thought Rob Yates was unlucky when he bowled but we are investing in him and Jacob Bethell and they will get better by bowling.”

Day Three

Career best figures of four for 20 from Warwickshire slow left armer Jacob Bethell ensured Lancashire’s first innings collapsed from 66 for three overnight to 149 all out before the visitors built a lead of 231 runs with seven wickets in hand after closing on 96 for thee going into the last day of this Vitality County Championship Division One clash at Emirates Old Trafford.

Once Olly Hannon-Dalby had clean bowled Tom Bruce for three early on, it was Bethell and fellow tweaker Jake Lintott, who took over, with the latter also producing career best figures of three for ten, as the hosts lost their last six wickets for 36 runs in 19.2 overs.

It was a familiar story for Lancashire, who have been dismissed for under 150 in their first innings, three times this season, with Bruce’s dismissal followed by George Balderson’s, although the all-rounder was unlucky after he was given out for 20 after seemingly not connecting with a Bethall delivery which deflected off the wicket keeper’s thigh to Will Rhodes at slip.

Keaton Jennings could also claim bad luck after he was adjudged lbw to Bethell for 36 to a delivery that looked to be sliding down leg but Lancashire’s brittle tail could have little complaint as Tom Aspinwall, Tom Bailey, Nathan Lyon and Jack Morley all went cheaply with only Matty Hurst showing any kind of resistance to finish unbeaten on 20.

Warwickshire commenced their second innings with an unlikely lead of 135 runs meaning the hosts needed quick wickets and Balderston obliged with a beauty to remove Rob Yates for five edging behind.

Lyon, who took just one wicket in the first innings, struck next with a turning delivery that was helped on its way by an inside edge from the Warwickshire skipper and first innings centurion, Alex Davies, who departed for 17.

When Hartley trapped Will Rhodes in front for five, home hopes were raised once again with the score 34 for three but a counter attack from Ed Barnard, who hit 40 from 46 balls and Dan Mousey, who struck 18 from 20, eased Warwickshire’s worries and took them to 96 for three when the much-forecast heavy rain came just after 5pm accompanied by some rumbles of thunder which even when the showers stopped prevented any further play.

Jacob Bethell, Warwickshire, said “Waking up this morning we all expected it to rain all day so to actually get a lot of cricket in and get ourselves in a winning position is really good. 

“I’ve been short on runs so to contribute and then to get some poles with the ball is nice. I was injured for the whole of last year and couldn’t bowl so to get a career best is nice and the boys are telling me I’ve got to get a round in at the bar now so that’ll mean a dent in my credit card.

“We’ll look to score some quick runs tomorrow weather dependent and the pitch is only going to deteriorate so it will get harder to bat and easier to bowl so we’ll look to post a good score and defend it.” 

Day Two

An unbeaten century from Warwickshire skipper Alex Davies helped his side reach 284 all out and a first innings lead of 218 against Lancashire on the second day of this Vitality County Championship Division One game at Emirates Old Trafford.

Davies’ 127 off a mammoth 296 balls saw the opener carry his bat against his former county and while Warwickshire were reluctant to score quickly on a used pitch, their total could yet prove to be a useful one after two wickets for Olly Hannon-Dalby and one for Jake Lintott left Lancashire 66 for three at the close of play.

Hopes were high in the Red Roses camp that the visitors might fold quickly after George Balderson got Dan Mousley to edge to Keaton Jennings at first slip for two in the third over of the day to leave Warwickshire 93 for four.

But, as if inspired by their captain’s belligerence, the Bears’ middle order came to the rescue, offering support and defiance to Davies as Warwickshire slowly clawed their way back into the game.

Jacob Bethhell hit 40 before he was trapped in front by the returning Jack Morley before Balderson dismissed Michael Burgess the same way for 24. Even Lintott’s nine eat up 43 balls as Davies’ nudged and nurdled his way towards his tenth first class century.

While it was effective there was little for the crowd to saviour until Lintott’s dismissal, caught behind reverse sweeping Nathan Lyon, brought former Lancashire fast bowler Hassan Ali to the crease.

A born entertainer, Ali slog swept Lyon into The Point stand for six while also hitting four boundaries before he was acrobatically caught on the boundary by Tom Bruce off Wells, who had earlier dropped a regulation catch at slip to give Lintott a life.

After Ali’s cameo there was little resistance with both Michael Rae and Hannon-Dalby departing for ducks lbw to Luke Wells and Morley.

Lancashire began their reply at 5pm and two balls later Wells was on his way back to the dressing room after edging Hannon-Dalby to Rob Yates at second slip without scoring.

The usually reliable Josh Bohannon followed soon after in identical fashion to depart for 11 and with Jennings struggling to get off the mark, the Red Rose were suddenly in trouble at 12 for two.

It took the Lancashire skipper 32 balls and 45 minutes to finally get a run but by this time George Bell was proving a willing partner as he began to construct a lovely little knock of his own as the pair rebuilt and passed the half-century partnership for the third wicket.

But it was the visitors who would have the last say of the day when Bell swept the first ball of the last over from Lintott to a diving Hannon-Dalby for 40, leaving Jenings unbeaten on 12 and Lancashire 66 for three.

Alex Davies, Warwickshire captain, said: “It was very satisfying but I’ve never had to work as hard as that and to face that amount of balls but I had to grind it out.  

“Because the pitch was turgid it was difficult to score when the bowlers bowled straight.  But it was nice for me to show that I can grind out a score when I have to when the situation and when the team requires it.

“I think the score we got is a good score, it’s disappointing that we couldn’t get 300 but we lost our last three wickets very quickly and I think it’s an above par score.  

“We comeback tomorrow and we could have them 100 for six and we’ve got four spinners and we’ll rotate them from one end.”

Day One

Bears Captain Al Davies made a resolute 47 not out at his former Emirates Old Trafford stomping ground after a truncated Day One left his side 89 for three from 39 overs.

Lancashire seamer Tom Bailey did the damage, dismissing Rob Yates, Will Rhodes and Ed Barnard either side of tea, to finish the day with three for 25 after the game finally got underway at 2.10pm following overnight rain.

Once the extensive mopping up operation had finished, Warwickshire, having won the toss, began batting under typical overcast Manchester skies.

The opening pair had put on 38 when Yates misjudged a Bailey delivery which jagged back and removed his off bail in the 11th over as the left-hander departed for 19.

Davies, meanwhile, was going along nicely against his ex-teammates, with some trademark cover drives and busy running, a painful reminder to the home crowd of his talents.

But it was Bailey, who had the bit between his teeth and with a worn pitch, gloomy skies and Nathan Lyon at the other end in support, he produced a beauty to find Rhodes’ edge with the batter on 14 when keeper Matty Hurst took the catch.

74 for two quickly became 82 for three when Barnard edged another excellent Bailey delivery to Hurst to depart for two.

The score had progressed to 89 for three with Davies – who hit seven 4s – unbeaten on 47 and Dan Mousley one not out when the players left the field at 5.09pm due to a combination of drizzle and bad light.

Alex Davies, said: “It was tough graft out there. I played a few years at this club and I’ve not seen a pitch like that. It’s got grass on it so it’s nipping around but it’s also really bare at the ends so it was a tricky decision with the toss. We took the aggressive option and batted, so we’ll try and get as many as we can first innings and back ourselves to bowl Lancashire out twice. 

“I can’t blame Lancashire for the pitch. They have a world class spinner in Nathan Lyon and they have some good seamers so leave some grass on. Both teams need a result so it’s looking like, weather dependant, it will head that way. 

“I’ve been looking forward to facing Lyon. He’s a world class bowler and as he reminded us out there he has played international cricket for 14 years and he’s not shy of letting you know. It’s a really good battle and you want to play against the best players and see how you fare and I did OK today.

“With a better forecast tomorrow and a bit of sun hopefully we can get as many runs as we can first innings and put some pressure on them.”