Cricket

Nottinghamshire and Lancashire played out a thrilling draw in their Vitality County Championship match at Southport, with Joe Clarke's fourth century of the season proving crucial for the visitors.Clarke's unbeaten 115, alongside Lyndon James' 43 not out, steered Nottinghamshire to 270 for four in their second innings, ensuring they drew the match by 143 runs. The result sees both teams move further away from the Division One relegation zone.Lancashire's James Anderson, who had taken seven wickets in Nottinghamshire's first innings, was unable to replicate his heroics on the final day. He finished with figures of one for 25 from eleven overs, with his only wicket coming when Will Young edged a catch to Matthew Hurst.Clarke and Jack Haynes steadied the ship for Nottinghamshire after Young's dismissal, with Haynes hitting a six off Tom Bailey. However, Haynes was caught behind off Chris Green, giving the Australian off-spinner his maiden first-class wicket for Lancashire on his Championship debut.Clarke continued to bat with fluency, reaching his fifty in 107 balls and his century off 185 balls. He and James put on an unbroken 136 for the fifth wicket, taking Nottinghamshire into the lead and ultimately securing the draw.The match also featured a rare sight, with Nathan Lyon and Anderson bowling in tandem for Lancashire. The combination has taken 1230 Test wickets, the most ever by one first-class team.

James Anderson, England's legendary fast bowler, made a resounding return to the County Championship, claiming a remarkable seven-wicket haul in his first appearance of the summer. Lancashire seized control against Nottinghamshire at Southport, enforcing the follow-on after dismissing their opponents for a paltry 126 in reply to their first innings total of 353 for nine declared.Anderson's devastating spell of 7 for 35 included an opening burst of 6 for 19 in ten overs, dismantling Nottinghamshire's top and middle order. His pinpoint accuracy and relentless line and length proved too much for the Notts batters, who were skittled out in just 36.3 overs.Nottinghamshire's second innings fared little better, with Nathan Lyon claiming his 800th first-class wicket to dismiss Ben Slater for 17. Lyon also broke a determined partnership between Haseeb Hameed and Will Young, having the Notts captain caught behind for 41.Lancashire's dominance was further underlined by Tom Bailey's two wickets in two balls, removing Calvin Harrison and Olly Stone. Despite a spirited 42-run partnership between Slater and Dane Paterson, the last pair was separated by a direct hit from Lyon, leaving Slater stranded on 64 not out.With Lancashire enforcing the follow-on, Nottinghamshire faced an uphill battle to avoid an innings defeat. Young and Joe Clarke showed resilience, negotiating their way through to the close with 11 runs each. However, the visitors will need to display similar determination on the final day to prevent a comprehensive loss.Anderson's performance was a timely reminder of his enduring class ahead of his farewell Test at Lord's next week. His ability to consistently hit the perfect line and length, even after a prolonged absence from competitive cricket, is a testament to his exceptional skill and unwavering dedication.

Lancashire's Vitality County Championship match against Nottinghamshire at Southport was marred by rain, with the entire second day washed out. The abandonment was a setback for James Anderson's preparations for his farewell Test at Lord's next week.Despite early showers, umpires initially planned for Lancashire to resume their first innings at 12.30pm. However, prolonged rain forced them to abandon the day's play at 4.05pm.The cancellation was particularly disappointing for spectators who had hoped to see Anderson bowl in his first game of the season. Anderson is set to play his final Test match against West Indies at Lord's, starting on July 10.England's director of cricket, Rob Key, confirmed on Monday that Anderson will stay on with the England team after the Lord's Test as a fast-bowling mentor.Should play be possible on Tuesday, Lancashire will resume on 344 for eight with skipper Keaton Jennings on 188 not out.In the nine games played at Southport since first-class cricket returned to the ground in 2011, this is only the second time in 31 days that play has been completely abandoned.

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 tightened their grip on a resounding victory over Kent in the Vitality County Championship at Canterbury, reducing the hosts to 143 for 6 at stumps on day three. Kent face an uphill battle to avoid a heavy defeat, trailing by 162 runs with only four second innings wickets remaining.Lancashire declared their first innings on 549 for 9, a formidable lead of 305. Josh Bohannon anchored the innings with a magnificent 205, while Matty Hurst contributed a valuable 50. George Garrett was the pick of the Kent bowlers, claiming 3 for 89.Kent's response got off to a shaky start as Will Williams and Tom Bailey struck early to leave them reeling at 143 for 6. Ben Compton, with 37, was the only batsman to offer any resistance. The chances of Kent salvaging anything other than a heavy loss to their relegation rivals appear slim.On day three, Lancashire opted to bat on, extending their lead to 158. Bohannon reached his double-century before being dismissed by his former teammate Matt Parkinson. Hurst also reached a half-century before being stumped by Harry Finch.Garrett took three wickets after lunch to prevent Lancashire from running riot. Jack Blatherwick, George Balderson, and Bailey all fell to the paceman, prompting Lancashire to declare.Kent's second innings began disastrously as Marcus O'Riordan was dismissed for 4 in the fourth over. Daniel Bell-Drummond followed suit, trapped lbw by Balderson. Compton's dismissal, caught by Bell off Bailey, was a major blow to Kent's hopes.Williams and Bailey continued to torment Kent, removing Joey Evison and Tawanda Muyeye cheaply. Harry Finch showed some resistance with 23, but Nathan Lyon had him caught by Bohannon.Beyers Swanepoel and Charlie Stobo managed to hold out for the final 11.4 overs, but Kent's chances of avoiding defeat remain bleak.

Lancashire's relegation battle took a turn for the worse on day one of their Vitality County Championship clash with Kent at Canterbury. Despite a valiant effort from Tawanda Muyeye, who scored 59, Lancashire were left trailing by 206 runs after being bowled out for 244.Kent's innings got off to a solid start, with Ben Compton plundering 11 runs from Tom Bailey's opening over. However, the scoring rate slowed down, and Lancashire's bowlers began to make inroads. George Balderson and Nathan Lyon shared six wickets between them, with Balderson claiming the key wickets of Marcus O'Riordan and Daniel Bell-Drummond.Joey Evison and Compton steadied the ship for Kent, but after lunch, the hosts suffered a mini-collapse. Evison, Finch, and Compton all fell in quick succession, leaving Kent on 124 for 5. Muyeye and Charlie Stobo then combined for an 82-run partnership, but Lyon broke the stand by bowling Stobo.Swanepoel and Parkinson also fell cheaply, leaving Kent on the brink of collapse. However, Muyeye continued to fight, reaching his first half-century of the season. He was eventually dismissed for 59, denying Kent a single batting point.Lancashire's reply got off to a poor start, with Beyers Swanepoel bowling Keaton Jennings for a duck. Josh Bohannon and Luke Wells steadied the ship, but Lancashire still trail by a significant margin.

Shan Masood's Bizarre Not-Out: A Tale of Misapprehension and No-BallsPakistan international batter Shan Masood found himself at the heart of a peculiar incident during a Vitality T20 Blast match between Yorkshire and Lancashire. Masood, batting on 58, became involved in a bizarre sequence of events that resulted in him remaining not-out despite being both hit-wicket and run-out.The incident unfolded in the 15th over when Masood attempted to play a backfoot shot off Lancashire's Jack Blatherwick. However, he inadvertently hit the stumps with his foot and wandered out of his crease, assuming he was out. The Lancashire players, unaware of the no-ball, dislodged the bails at the other end, attempting to run Masood out.Masood, unaware of the no-ball, made no attempt to reach the other end, believing he was already out. However, the situation took a dramatic turn when it was discovered that Blatherwick had overstepped, resulting in a no-ball.In such cases, rule 31.7 of the MCC Laws of Cricket comes into play. This rule states that if a batter leaves the wicket under a misapprehension of being out, the umpire shall intervene and call "Dead ball." The batter is then recalled to the crease.After extensive discussions, the umpires deemed Masood not-out for the run-out dismissal under Law 31.7. While Masood could not be given out hit-wicket due to the no-ball, he was also not out for the run-out because he had left the crease under the misapprehension of being out.Masood added three more runs to his total before being dismissed, finishing on 61. The incident highlights the importance of umpires being vigilant and ensuring that the correct decisions are made, even in unusual circumstances.

Durham's Graham Clark and David Bedingham put on a batting masterclass on Father's Day, guiding their team to a thrilling two-run victory over Lancashire Lightning in the Vitality Blast.Clark (87) and Bedingham (78) combined for a 109-run partnership, propelling Durham to a mammoth 218 for three, their highest total against Lancashire in T20s. Lancashire's chase started promisingly, but Durham's bowlers, led by Callum Parkinson's three-wicket haul, kept chipping away at their batting lineup.Despite a late surge from George Balderson, Jack Blatherwick, and Chris Green, Lancashire fell just short of the target, handing Durham their first home win of the Blast campaign.Durham skipper Alex Lees opted to bat first, and Clark wasted no time in setting the tone with a six off Luke Wood. Lees joined the party with a boundary off Saqib Mahmood, taking Durham past 50 in the powerplay.Balderson broke the opening stand with the wicket of Lees, but Bedingham continued the momentum, hitting consecutive fours off Luke Wells. Clark reached his half-century in 29 balls, and Bedingham followed suit shortly after.Mahmood dismissed Clark, but Bedingham kept the runs flowing, smashing a six over Blatherwick's head. The South African reached his half-century in 29 balls before falling in the final over.Lancashire's reply began disastrously as Parkinson bowled Josh Bohannon for four. Wells hit a six off Matthew Potts, but Ashton Turner removed him soon after.With the DLS par score rising due to drizzle, Lancashire needed to accelerate. Keaton Jennings and Matthew Hurst took them past 50, but Coughlin produced a stunning caught-and-bowled to dismiss Hurst.Nathan Sowter removed Jennings, and Parkinson got rid of Tom Bruce and Steven Croft. Green and Balderson fought back, but Raine dismissed Green, and Blatherwick's late sixes were not enough to prevent Lancashire from falling two runs short.

Lancashire's T20 debutant Tom Aspinwall made a remarkable impact, claiming 4 for 18 as the Red Rose annihilated Durham by nine wickets in their Vitality Blast opener at Emirates Old Trafford.Aspinwall's impressive performance was complemented by Jack Blatherwick's 3 for 14, as Steven Croft's side put their Championship struggles behind them to chase down Durham's paltry 75 in just eight overs.Durham's batting woes began early, losing four top-order batters within the first six overs. Alex Lees, Ollie Robinson, and Graham Clark fell cheaply, while Ben Raine's 12 runs came solely from boundaries before he was caught and bowled by Blatherwick.Aspinwall then removed Ashton Turner and Michael Jones in quick succession, leaving Durham reeling on 31 for six. Ackermann's dismissal to Aspinwall and Potts' catch to Croft further depleted Durham's innings.Blatherwick claimed the eighth and ninth wickets, with Green taking the final catch to end Nathan Sowter's resistance. Ben Dwarshuis and Callum Parkinson added some respectability with a 19-run last-wicket stand, but Wood ended their innings with Dwarshuis' dismissal.In contrast to Durham's struggles, Lancashire's batters dominated from the outset. Luke Wells smashed three sixes in his 49 not out, while George Bell contributed an elegant 22 not out.The game concluded in just 90 minutes, marking a memorable evening for Croft, who played his 239th T20 match in his 19th season as a professional.