Cricket

Warwickshire's dominance continued on the third day of their Vitality County Championship Division One clash against Lancashire at Emirates Old Trafford. After posting a formidable 284 in their first innings, the visitors reduced Lancashire to a paltry 149 all out, thanks to career-best figures from Jacob Bethell (4-20) and Jake Lintott (3-10).Lancashire's batting woes continued as they collapsed from a promising 66 for 3 overnight. Bethell and Lintott wreaked havoc, claiming the last six wickets for just 36 runs. George Balderson was unlucky to be dismissed for 20 after a deflection off the wicketkeeper's thigh, while Keaton Jennings was adjudged lbw to a delivery that appeared to be sliding down leg.Warwickshire began their second innings with a 135-run lead, and despite losing Rob Yates and Alex Davies early on, they extended their advantage to 231 runs. Ed Barnard (40*) and Dan Mousey (18) steadied the ship, taking Warwickshire to 96 for 3 before rain halted play.Lancashire's hopes of a comeback were dealt a blow by Bethell's exceptional bowling. The slow left-armer's ability to extract turn and bounce proved too much for the Lancashire batsmen, who have now been dismissed for under 150 in their first innings three times this season.Warwickshire's bowlers, led by Bethell and Lintott, have been in impressive form throughout the match. Their ability to control the pace and trajectory of the ball has made it difficult for Lancashire's batsmen to score runs.With seven wickets in hand and a substantial lead, Warwickshire are in a strong position to secure a victory on the final day. Lancashire, on the other hand, will need to produce a remarkable performance to avoid defeat.

Warwickshire's hopes of ending their winless streak in the Vitality County Championship Division One were dealt a blow on day one of their clash against Lancashire at Emirates Old Trafford. Lancashire's Tom Bailey starred with the ball, claiming three wickets to leave the visitors struggling at 89 for three from 39 overs.After overnight rain delayed the start of play until 2.10pm, Warwickshire won the toss and elected to bat. Rob Yates and Alex Davies opened the innings, but Bailey struck in the 11th over to dismiss Yates for 19. Davies, playing against his former team, looked in good touch and reached 47 not out.However, Bailey continued to trouble the Warwickshire batsmen. He removed Will Rhodes for 14 and Ed Barnard for two, leaving the visitors in a precarious position. Dan Mousley joined Davies at the crease and helped guide Warwickshire to 89 for three before bad light and drizzle forced the players off the field at 5.09pm.Lancashire, who are looking to move off the bottom of the table after a victory over Durham, will be confident of securing a positive result against a Warwickshire side that has failed to win in six matches. The Red Rose will be buoyed by Bailey's performance, while Warwickshire will need to find a way to counter his threat if they are to avoid another defeat.

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.

Nottinghamshire's relentless dominance culminated in a resounding 72-run victory over Lancashire in the Vitality County Championship match at Trent Bridge. The triumph marked Nottinghamshire's first win of the season and propelled them up the Division One standings.Lancashire's hopes of salvaging a draw rested on the shoulders of wicketkeeper Matthew Hurst, who defied Nottinghamshire's bowling attack with a maiden first-class century. Hurst's valiant 104, studded with 10 fours and four sixes, provided a glimmer of resistance for the visitors.However, Nottinghamshire's bowling prowess proved too formidable, with Dillon Pennington leading the charge with figures of 4 for 61. The home side's relentless pressure eventually forced Lancashire to succumb for 252, leaving Nottinghamshire with a modest target of 81 to secure victory.Despite losing opener Ben Slater early, Nottinghamshire's batting lineup proved too strong for Lancashire's depleted bowling attack. Captain Haseeb Hameed, who had anchored Nottinghamshire's first innings with an unbeaten 247, remained unbeaten on 24 not out to guide his team to victory.The win was a testament to Nottinghamshire's resilience and determination. After being dismissed for 61 for 6 on the third evening, they fought back admirably to secure a comprehensive victory. Lancashire, on the other hand, remain rooted to the bottom of Division One after suffering their third defeat in five matches.

Nottinghamshire's Haseeb Hameed, aiming to revive his Test cricket aspirations, notched his first Vitality County Championship century since September 2022 against his former county Lancashire. Despite his unbeaten 137, Nottinghamshire still trail Lancashire's first innings total by 52 runs at Trent Bridge.Hameed, who has been dropped twice by England, showcased his batting prowess with 16 boundaries. However, he was fortunate to survive a drop on 104 off Tom Hartley. Hartley, who is set to join the England squad for the upcoming white-ball series against Pakistan and the T20 World Cup, went wicketless in 18 overs.Lancashire's George Balderson emerged as the bowling star, claiming 4 for 72 from 22 overs. Balderson, who shared a crucial partnership with Keaton Jennings in Lancashire's first innings, exploited the conditions effectively.Lancashire's 331-run total was boosted by a strong finish on day one, with Tom Bailey contributing an unbeaten 31. Olly Stone, who impressed with the ball on day one, picked up three wickets for 56 runs from 23.2 overs.Nottinghamshire began their chase aggressively, but Ben Slater's early dismissal set them back. Hameed and Will Young steadied the innings, but Young's dismissal for 27 opened the door for Lancashire.Balderson's return to the attack proved decisive, as he dismissed Joe Clarke and Tom Moores in quick succession. Jack Haynes provided support to Hameed, who reached his half-century from 99 balls and his century from just 63 more.Despite Hameed's heroics, Nottinghamshire suffered another setback before tea when Haynes was dismissed for 35. After tea, Lyndon James and Hameed reduced the deficit, but the second new ball brought success for Lancashire. James was caught at first slip, and Calvin Harrison's promising innings ended with an edge to second slip.Nottinghamshire will need to dig deep on day three to match Lancashire's first innings total and put themselves in a strong position in this Division One encounter.

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 batting woes continued unabated as Kent took complete control of their Vitality County Championship match at Emirates Old Trafford. Nathan Gilchrist's career-best 6 for 24 and Wes Agar's 4 for 35 reduced Lancashire to a paltry 92 in their first innings.Kent's 169-run first-innings lead allowed skipper Daniel Bell-Drummond to enforce the follow-on. Lancashire's misery compounded as they lost three wickets for as many runs late in the day, finishing on 119 for 4, still 50 runs in arrears.Gilchrist and Agar exploited the cloudy conditions to wreak havoc on Lancashire's batting. Luke Wells, Josh Bohannon, Keaton Jennings, Tom Bruce, George Bell, George Balderson, and Tom Hartley all fell cheaply, leaving Lancashire reeling at 40 for 7.Matty Hurst's defiant 36 helped Lancashire avoid their lowest first-class score against Kent, but Gilchrist's fifth wicket ended their innings. In their second innings, Wells and Jennings showed some fight, but Gilchrist's brilliance continued as he dismissed both batsmen.Joey Evison's unbeaten 71 in Kent's first innings proved invaluable, as Lancashire's batting collapse handed Kent a commanding position. The visitors will be confident of securing victory on the final day, while Lancashire faces an uphill battle to salvage a draw.

Kent's Joey Evison played a valiant innings of 50 not out, but Lancashire dominated the opening day of their Vitality County Championship clash at Emirates Old Trafford.Evison, aided by Grant Stewart's 33, rescued Kent from a precarious 129 for six. The duo launched a counterattack against Lancashire's Test spinners, Nathan Lyon and Tom Hartley, adding 69 for the seventh wicket.However, Lancashire's George Balderson had earlier claimed three wickets in 28 balls, including the dismissals of Ben Compton, Zak Crawley, and Daniel Bell-Drummond. Jack Leaning's dismissal left Kent reeling at 76 for four at lunch.After the break, Harry Finch fell cheaply to Will Williams, but Evison and Joe Denly steadied the ship with a 46-run partnership. Denly's dismissal to Lyon brought Stewart to the crease, and the pair took the attack to the spinners.Stewart's six off Hartley brought up the 50-run stand, but his innings ended abruptly when he nicked a delivery to Luke Wells. Balderson finished with three for 62, while Lyon took two for 42. Williams, with two for 28, is one wicket away from his 200th in first-class cricket.Despite Evison's heroics, Lancashire holds the upper hand heading into day two.