Cricket

Lancashire and Somerset engaged in a thrilling first day of their Vitality County Championship match at Emirates Old Trafford, with 21 wickets falling and the home side holding a slender 10-run lead.Lancashire, batting first on a seam-friendly pitch, were dismissed for 140 in just 40 overs. Craig Overton and Lewis Gregory wreaked havoc with the ball, claiming four wickets each. Lancashire's only resistance came from skipper Keaton Jennings, who scored a valiant 56.Somerset's reply was equally shaky. George Balderson and Tom Bailey shared eight wickets between them, restricting the visitors to 146. Andy Umeed was dismissed for a duck off the first ball of the innings, but Archie Vaughan (21) and Tom Kohler-Cadmore (19) provided some stability.However, Balderson's double strike before tea and Bailey's three wickets after the break put Somerset in trouble. Gregory and Tom Abell briefly threatened to take the lead, but Bailey dismissed both batsmen to leave Somerset on the brink of collapse.Jack Leach and Gregory added 25 for the last wicket before Leach was caught behind off Anderson Philip. Somerset's innings ended on 146, giving them a six-run first-innings lead.Lancashire's second innings began disastrously as Jennings was dismissed for 4, edging Gregory to slip. Harry Singh and nightwatchman Will Williams survived the remaining overs to give Lancashire a 10-run lead heading into day two.

Kent emerged victorious in a thrilling five-run victory over Lancashire in the Metro-Bank One-Day Trophy, despite a valiant century from Keaton Jennings.Lancashire's pursuit of 210 began promisingly, but they lost early wickets to Beyers Swanepoel. Jennings and Balderson steadied the ship, but Stobo's double strike left them reeling at 65 for 4.Jennings found support from Flintoff and Green, but Parkinson's leg-before dismissal of Green put Kent back in control. Blatherwick's sixes kept Lancashire in the hunt, but Swanepoel's catch and bowl of Blatherwick and Parkinson's dismissal of Williams left them needing 15 off two overs.Jennings reached his century, but Barnard's run-out and Sutton's dismissal off the second ball of the final over sealed Kent's victory.For Kent, Finch top-scored with 48, while Parkinson's 4 for 30 and Swanepoel's 3 for 26 were crucial. Jennings' unbeaten 107 was in vain for Lancashire, who fell just short of their target.

Lancashire's Keaton Jennings produced a masterful century to guide his team to a commanding position on the opening day of their Vitality County Championship clash against Nottinghamshire at Southport.Jennings, the Red Rose captain, anchored the Lancashire innings with an unbeaten 183 off 258 deliveries, laced with 26 fours and four sixes. His innings proved crucial as the visitors threatened to seize control after lunch.Despite the absence of James Anderson, who was rested, Lancashire's bowling attack, led by Dillon Pennington, kept Nottinghamshire in check. Pennington, who was recently selected for England's squad to face West Indies, claimed 2 for 70 from 23 overs.Dane Paterson broke the opening partnership, dismissing Luke Wells for 7. However, Jennings and Bohannon steadied the ship, guiding Lancashire to 59 for 1 at lunch.After the break, Nottinghamshire fought back with three quick wickets. Joe Clarke dropped Bohannon but made amends by catching him off Olly Stone's next delivery. Pennington then removed George Bell and Matty Hurst to leave Lancashire reeling at 120 for 4.Jennings remained unyielding, counterattacking with calculated aggression and solid defense. He reached his century off 179 balls and found support from George Balderson, who contributed 41. Their 88-run partnership swung the momentum back in Lancashire's favor.In the extended final session, Chris Green and Tom Bailey fell to Lyndon James, while Will Williams was dismissed by Pennington. However, Jennings continued to dominate, punishing a tiring Nottinghamshire attack. He reached 150 off 47 balls, hitting sixes off Stone and Paterson.Nottinghamshire's cause was further hindered by three dropped catches off Jennings. Lancashire ended the day on a strong 344 for 8, with Jennings poised to add to his tally on Monday.

Lancashire Lightning extended their impressive start to the 2024 Vitality Blast North group campaign with a comfortable six-wicket victory over Nottinghamshire Outlaws at Trent Bridge. The Outlaws, who entered the match with the worst record in the competition, were unable to match the Lightning's dominance, despite a valiant effort from Liam Patterson-White.Choosing to bat first, the Outlaws struggled to gain momentum against the disciplined bowling of Lancashire's Chris Green, who claimed two wickets for just 16 runs in his four overs. Jack Haynes top-scored for the home side with 45, but two run outs and a lack of partnerships hindered their progress. Patterson-White, making his debut in the format, provided a late spark with an unbeaten 44 from 21 balls, but it proved insufficient.Lancashire's chase began with a shaky start as both openers were dismissed cheaply. However, Keaton Jennings, the Lightning captain, steadied the innings with a composed 64, guiding his team towards victory. Jennings reached his half-century from 41 balls, setting the platform for a comfortable chase.Despite the introduction of Patterson-White's left-arm spin, Lancashire continued to chip away at the target. Tom Bruce was dismissed for 22, but Matty Hurst and Steven Croft ensured there were no further hiccups. Hurst finished unbeaten on 33, while Croft contributed 19 as Lancashire reached their target with nine balls to spare.The Outlaws' defeat marked their fifth consecutive loss in the competition, while Lancashire extended their winning streak to three matches. The Lightning's victory was a testament to their depth and experience, while the Outlaws will need to find a way to turn their fortunes around if they are to avoid a disappointing campaign.

Durham's hopes of securing their first Vitality County Championship victory of the season hang precariously after Lancashire's Keaton Jennings inspired a formidable target of 475 in their second innings.Jennings, who had already notched a century in the first innings, repeated the feat with a masterful 155, guiding Lancashire to a formidable 353 for 9 declared. His innings, coupled with Ben Stokes' five-wicket haul, set Durham a daunting task of chasing down a county record fourth-innings score.Durham's pursuit began promisingly, with Alex Lees and Scott Borthwick forging an 83-run opening partnership. However, Tom Aspinwall's double strike in quick succession, dismissing Lees and Colin Ackermann, halted their momentum. Borthwick's dismissal to Nathan Lyon further dented Durham's hopes, leaving them on 134 for 3 at the close of play.Earlier in the day, Lancashire resumed their second innings cautiously, losing Will Williams early to Ben Raine. Jennings, batting with characteristic patience, reached his half-century off 54 deliveries. Stokes' introduction brought about the wicket of George Bell, but Jennings and Tom Bruce accelerated the scoring rate, adding 82 runs in the second half of the morning session.Jennings reached his century off Paul Coughlin's final delivery before lunch, becoming only the second batter after Jim Stewart in 1959 to score a hundred in each innings at Blackpool. Bruce's dismissal for 43 brought George Balderson to the crease, who contributed 17 before Stokes had him caught behind.Stokes eventually dismissed Jennings for 155, with the England captain finishing with impressive figures of 5 for 98. Lancashire declared shortly after, setting Durham an improbable target.Durham's chase started well, but Aspinwall's intervention has left them with a mountain to climb. David Bedingham remains unbeaten on 31, but Durham still require 341 runs to pull off a remarkable victory.

Lancashire's Keaton Jennings struck a resilient century (115) as they reached 350 for 9 on day one of their County Championship clash against Durham. Ben Stokes, making his first County Championship appearance for Durham in almost two years, bowled 17 overs and claimed two wickets for 70 runs.Jennings and Luke Wells (46) provided Lancashire with a solid start, putting on 87 for the first wicket. However, Durham fought back with three wickets in quick succession, including Stokes' dismissal of Josh Bohannon.Jennings continued to anchor the Lancashire innings, reaching his century off 137 balls. He was eventually dismissed by Matt Parkinson, caught at mid-on. Saqib Mahmood (40 not out) provided some late impetus for Lancashire, hitting two fours and two sixes.Durham's bowlers toiled hard on a pitch that offered little assistance. Ben Raine was the pick of the attack, taking 3 for 67. Ollie Robinson and Scott Borthwick also bowled well, but were unlucky not to pick up wickets.Durham will be hoping to make further inroads into the Lancashire batting on day two. The pitch is expected to flatten out, which could make batting easier. However, Stokes' return to bowling fitness will be a major boost for Durham, who will be looking to him to make a significant contribution with both bat and ball.

Lancashire's hopes of a prosperous start to their Vitality County Championship match against Nottinghamshire were dashed on day one at Trent Bridge, as Dillon Pennington's exceptional bowling performance restricted them to 306 for 8.Skipper Keaton Jennings (91) and overseas batter Tom Bruce (73) provided a solid foundation for Lancashire, but the team's momentum was halted by a late-session collapse. Pennington's devastating spell with the second new ball, claiming 3 for 15, proved pivotal.The morning session belonged to Lancashire, with Jennings and George Balderson (50) sharing a 107-run partnership for the third wicket. However, the dismissal of Josh Bohannon (24) by Lyndon James just before lunch sparked a Nottinghamshire resurgence.After lunch, Jennings and Balderson continued to dominate, but their partnership was broken by Pennington's brilliance. Jennings' reverse sweep attempt against Calvin Harrison resulted in a top-edge catch, while Balderson was undone by Stone's pace.Bruce took charge, reaching a half-century off 69 balls, but Pennington's double strike with the new ball, removing George Bell and Matthew Hurst, shifted the balance back in Nottinghamshire's favor. Bruce's dismissal to Paterson further dented Lancashire's hopes.Despite securing a second batting point, Lancashire's late collapse left them with a challenging position heading into day two.

Lancashire's Keaton Jennings, fresh from his disappointment at missing out on England's Test tour to India, made a strong start to his Vitality County Championship campaign with a half-century against Hampshire.Jennings, who impressed as part of the England Lions squad supporting the Test team in the sub-continent this winter, was not considered for the main event, with Ben Duckett and Zak Crawley remaining Ben Stokes' and Brendon McCullum's preferred opening pair.However, he showed his class with a composed 85 not out, with only one dropped catch as a blemish in an otherwise authoritative innings. His opening partner Luke Wells also impressed with 55, as Lancashire ended the day on 233 for four, 134 runs behind Hampshire's first innings total.Having bowled the hosts out for 367, Wells and Jennings made hay in good batting conditions. Mohammad Abbas' battle with Wells was intriguing, with the Pakistan fast bowler sending down 16 challenging dot-balls before the batter could manoeuvre himself off strike.Wells then slowly put himself on top of the home side's bowling attack to rush towards his first half-century of the season. He found straight driving particularly profitable, reaching the milestone in just 65 balls.Wells fell for 55, ending an 87-run partnership, but Jennings continued to impress, reaching his 57th first-class half-century in 122 balls. He was dropped at point on 36 by Nick Gubbins, who lost his trousers in the process.Josh Bohannon made 30 before chopping James Fuller onto his own stumps, but Jennings then teamed up with George Balderson in an 86-run stand. Balderson was eventually dismissed for 38, and Tom Bruce was brilliantly caught at first slip by Liam Dawson to give Holland two wickets in two balls.George Bell narrowly avoided edging the hat-trick ball and survived to the close with Jennings.Earlier, Hampshire added 62 runs to their overnight score, with Dawson going on to make 86, Ian Holland 45, and James Fuller 38. Nathan Lyon completed the innings when Kyle Abbott was caught at long-on by Jennings, ending with three for 110 from 38.1 overs.