With the final hour tapped on the umpire’s watch, three games were still in the air: the Roses match, the Midlands derby and Leicestershire’s quest for their first win of the season.
A fortified display of Yorkshire stonewalling fell just short of denying Lancashire their first Roses win at Old Trafford for 21 years, in a slow-burner that built up to an electrifying final hour. Saqib Mahmood snaffled his first first-class five-fer, bowling with pace and verve, laying out the stumps of Will Fraine and Steven Patterson in the morning, with inswinger, then away-swinger, before coming back at the last to take two more.
There was fifty from Harry Brook and imaginative stoicism by 19-year-old Harry Duke, but Dom Bess was the linchpin, batting for over three-and-a-half hours for his 46 until, with just 40 balls left, he parried Matt Parkinson to slip. Lancashire are now the only unbeaten county in the Championship.
Warwickshire threw a grenade into Group One by not only denying Nottinghamshire their run chase but bowling them out. Set 309 in 74 overs, Notts set off at a canter but slipped to 89 for five when Steven Mullaney was caught at deep square leg. Warwickshire needed to worm out the rest, which they did with eight overs to spare. Danny Briggs finished with four for 36.
The Australian Marcus Harris inspired Leicestershire with a magnificent 185 that overwhelmed Middlesex. Harris and Colin Ackermann, who dabbled his first century for three years, put on 243 for the third wicket and the die was cast. Worcestershire’s first victory of the season came with a gallop after they thrashed Derbyshire by an innings and 23 runs. Dillon Pennington pocketed five for 32.
Amar Virdi took four wickets as Surrey zipped through the remainder of Gloucestershire’s batting at the Oval to win by an innings. Only Jonny Tattersall, on loan from Yorkshire and struggling with the bat, snagged up Surrey’s march. Northants rolled to victory over Sussex at Hove, thanks to more fluent runs from Saif Zaib and a half-century from Rob Keogh.
As I type, I can see the Lancashire team stretched out in the sun, beers by their side. What a game! What a round! Congratulations to Lancs, Warwickshire, Worcestershire, Leicestershire, Surrey and Northants. Commiserations especially to Yorkshire, who fought so hard today. Thanks everyone for your company, we’ll be back on Thursday for the final push. Enjoy your bank holiday, good night!
What a group.
— Lancashire Cricket (@lancscricket) May 30, 2021
The only unbeaten side in the country.
🌹 #RedRoseTogether pic.twitter.com/YDnG63aTGl
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Leicestershire beat Middlesex by five wickets!
Leicestershire 136 and 378-5 beat Middlesex 295 and 218
With less than five overs to go!
Warwickshire beat Nottinghamshire by 170 runs!
Warwickshire 341 and 264 beat Notts 297 and 138
Amazeballs!
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Lancashire beat Yorkshire by an innings and 79 runs!
Lancashire 509-9dec beat Yorkshire 159 and 271
With 40 balls left, Matt Parkinson wheedles out Dom Bess, caught by Liam Livingstone at slip after an innings of some stoicism.Lancashire’s first Roses win at Old Trafford since 2000! On the pitch, the players shake hands. A Roses for the ages.
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Saqib Mahmood’s fifth wicket! Ben Coad crawls off the pitch with a duck to his name. I must say Mahmood didn’t look convinced... but up went the finger anyway. Yorkshire 271-9 - 7.3 overs left.
Notts lose their ninth!
Oh Lancy Lancy indeed! Jordan Thompson fences at Saqib Mahmood and is snaffled. Yorkshire 271-8 - 9.1 overs left!
Notts eight down!
A second for Walallawita at Grace Road, Lewis Hill for a here-and-there two. Leicestershire 333-4, 45 needed.
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Events at Grace Road. Marcus Harris has been caught behind off Walallawita for a mammoth in every way 185. Colin Ackermann collects a fabulous hundred. Leicestershire need 47.
I must write the round-up but will pop back with wickets and things as Livingstone gets some bounce out of the pitch.
A WICKET!!!! Duke doesn’t play a shot and the ball clips the top of off stump. Wood sprints across the grass and is engulfed by the arms and legs of the red rose. A smashing innings from 19-year old Duke, 88 balls of dedication, five dashing fours. Twenty two overs left! Yorkshire 238-7.
WICKET WATCH Think @lwood_95 enjoyed that! Harry Duke is bowled for 29 & Yorkshire 238-7 #LANvYOR pic.twitter.com/ik1TF9XjT7
— Lancashire Cricket (@lancscricket) May 30, 2021
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I’d expect Parkinson to bowl unchanged now from the James Anderson end. A mere 24 overs left, bright sunlight, a rapt if ruddy-faced crowd, five men crouched intently round the batsman.
A second for Briggs at Edgbaston, and it is the big(ger) one, Lyndon James after a 2 hour 22 19. Impressive stoic-ing from him, but now it is down to 9-10-Jack. Notts 129-7.
Warwickshire whittle out another one: Moores for 21. Notts enter survival mode: 129-6.
Duke and Bess bring up a remorseless fifty partnership. The blue sky looks down, surprised. Just four wickets needed Lancashire - where are they?
Leicestershire bat on, and on, and on! What a first win of the season this would be - 79 needed, or 8 wickets for Middlesex. Should the runs get ticked off it would be the third highest successful run-chase in Leicestershire’s history.
A flattened pitch, but still a stunning reverse.
Talking of which, Lancashire and Saqib Mahmood desperate for a bit of reverse-ping, repeatedly polishing the shiny side.
The final session of the final day. Three games in the balance. Is your money red or white?
Teatime scores
Group One
Riverside: ESSEX 182 and 301 BEAT DURHAM 99 and 189 by 195 runs
Edgbaston: Warwickshire 341 and 264 v Nottinghamshire 297 and 123-5 Nottinghamshire need 186 to win
New Road: Worcestershire 421 beat Derbyshire 270 and 128 by an innings and 23 runs.
Group Two
Grace Road: Leicestershire 136 and 282-2 Middlesex 295 and 218 all out Leicestershire need 96 to win
The Oval: Surrey 473 BEAT Gloucestershire 158 and 268 by an innings and 47 runs
Group Three
Old Trafford: Lancashire 509-9dec v Yorkshire 159 and 208-6
Hove: Northants 256 and 218-7 BEAT Sussex 175 and 298 by seven wicket
Tea! Well played Yorkshire. Scores to follow.
One over left till tea at Old Trafford. Notts are still five down at Edgbaston, James 18, Moores 21. Another 187 needed if they dare. While Leicestershire are down to a two-figure target. Harris 164, Ackermann 79, the target 99.
Luke Wells has a go from the James Anderson end, all long legs and gangly arms. Can he befuddle them with his off-beat leg-breaks as tea approaches?
A mini epic at Old Trafford: Bess and Duke v Livingstone and Parkinson. Yorkshire careful, ever so careful. Duke got off the mark to his 39th ball after 49 minutes on 0, during which he seemed completely unbothered by the score. He and Bess patiently press forward. And again. And again.
40 overs left. Harry Duke playing a bravado 28-ball 0.
The Foxes are sprinting towards the finish line. Harris has moved to 152, Acermann to 67 and neither Bamber nor Helm nor Andersson nor Walallawita not Hollman nor Gubbins can find an answer. The third-wickset partnership 177.
I thought Notts had forgotten how to Notts-up. Seems I was wrong. Mullaney swings to square leg and Rob Yates accepts gratefully. Notts 94-5, James and Moores the men in.
A drop! Livingstone at first slip lets Bess through his fingers. Yorkshire 186-6. Forty-four and a half overs left.
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Some justifiable Surrey crowing.
Gratifying when @surreycricket have 25% of the previous squad injured or playing for England & you bring in players for their 1st Champo game of the year & win by an innings. Captain, Moriarty, Virdi outstanding. Great win for the Stars and 104 by Dunkley tops a strong weekend
— Richard Thompson (@rich_thomo) May 30, 2021
A leg-side stumping! Clarke done by Hannon-Dalby and Burgess for 20. Notts 80-4, need 229 for win. The see-saw has swung....
as it has here! Parkinson sprints over to Livingstone for a hug as Brook props forward and is hit full on the boot. The finger rises. Yorkshire 180-6.
This is brilliant! 🙌
— Warwickshire CCC 🏏 (@WarwickshireCCC) May 30, 2021
MICHAEL BURGESS TAKE A BOW!
Match Centre 🖥 https://t.co/yLm3CprsI7
🐻#YouBears | #WARvNOT pic.twitter.com/SoaiNn0Xr6
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Took the chance for a little sun worship in the stands at lunchtime and was struck suddenly by the theatricality of it all when the players came back out. First the umpires marched in unison onto the field in matching black trousers and wide-brimmed hats. Then the Lancashire fielders, rag-tag, fresh from an upper east side rumble; then finally the two Yorkshire batsmen, down the shaded metal staircase into the bright sunlight. It’s just something you don’t normally see from the press box.
Parkinson takes a turn from the Brian Statham End. What I enjoy most at the end of his bowling action is the little shuffle of expectation, hands a-cock, like a tap-dancer mid-shuffle.
And that’s fifty for Harry Brook, 104 balls, five fours. Well played! If he can be there at the end, he’ll have made his name in a county career that hasn’t yet quite flowered.
A century for Marcus Harris, his second for Leicestershire, and 55 for Colin Ackermann defies the sceptics. At 198-2, they are more than half way there: 180 to win.
Notts lose Duckett and Slater within an over. My spider senses are a-tingling. Notts 57-3, wickets for Bresnan, Norwell and Briggs.
Warwickshire can sniff victory!
— LV= Insurance County Championship (@CountyChamp) May 30, 2021
The Bears need 7 wickets to beat Notts. Watch live now 👇
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Tom Bailey takes the new ball and - hey presto - three balls later George Hill’s off stump takes a turn for the worse. Worse yet, Saqib Mahmood takes over from Parkinson at the James Anderson end. Yorkshire 152-5.
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Surrey beat Gloucestershire by an innings and 47 runs!
Surrey 473 beat Gloucestershire 158 and 268
Tattersall left high and dry on 86! Moriarty takes his second wicket of the innings, and eighth of the match. Virdi finishes with six in the match. Gloucestershire lose their unbeaten record and Surrey win the second game! Gloucestershire remain top of Group 2 with 107, Somerset on their tails 104, Surrey third 101 (but having played one extra game).
Lunchtime scores
Group One
Riverside: ESSEX 182 and 301 BEAT DURHAM 99 and 189 by 195 runs
Edgbaston: Warwickshire 341 and 264 v Nottinghamshire 297 and 34-1
New Road: Worcestershire 421 beat Derbyshire 270 and 128 by an innings and 23 runs.
Group Two
Grace Road: Leicestershire 136 and 167-2 Middlesex 295 and 218 all out Leicestershire need 211 to win
The Oval: Surrey 473 all out v Gloucestershire 158 and 260-9*
Group Three
Old Trafford: Lancashire 509-9dec v Yorkshire 159 and 144-4
Hove: Northants 256 and 218-7 BEAT Sussex 175 and 298 by seven wicket
*still playing
A quietly impressive 50 stand between Brook and Hill, as Hill pushes through the off side. That’s lunch! Fabulous bowling by Mahmood but well batted Yorkies.
Lancashire are just three overs away from taking the new ball. Some thoughts around that the press box that the ball might not be spinning as much because the pitch is so abrasive that the ball has gone soft. Or maybe it’s the weather. Or maybe something quite else. To be honest, it is all still a mystery.
The Yorkshire Post points out that Tattersall was dropped by Yorkshire for not scoring enough runs...
Oh bother, Hass is out for two. Notts 16-1. One last fizz for Parkinson before lunch here at OT, four men close enough to examine Hill’s ear. Virdi has taken one more at The Oval, Tattersall STILL there, 69 not out, but Gloucestershire on the crumble of the cliff. And well done Leicestershire! Harris and Ackermann still there, 157-2.
Ah! While I was gazing at the summer fixtures and pondering July, Warwickshire were all out. Notts set 309 to win with England-bound Haseeb Hameed at the crease. Currently 6-0. In days of yore (April) I’d have said Notts had not a chance, but now.... they’ll do it by tea!
Four wickets for Fletcher; Burgess 80, Briggs 50.
A bowling change at Old Trafford, where the Yorkies had started to look unseasonably comfortable. Liam Livingstone replaces Parkinson after a brief but fruitless flurry from the BS end; and Luke Wood replaces Danny Lamb at the JA end.
At The Oval, Amar Virdi snags his third wicket, Matt Taylor for 12. Jonny Tattersall holding out for his adopted team, 51 not out.
Northants beat Sussex by 7 wickets!
Northants 256 and 218-7 beat Sussex 175 and 298
This makes it very tasty! More runs for Saif Zaib, 47; Rob Keogh, 60. Northants confirmed in third place in Group 3 with 97 points.
Northants trilling merrily on their way - just 19 needed now; while Warwickshire bat on - 250-7 - a lead of 294. Bat on till 2.30 before the declaration?
Worcestershire beat Derbyshire by an innings!
Worcestershire 421 beat Derbyshire 270 and 128 by an innings and 23 runs.
Pennington finishes with five - and nine in the match. Only three batsmen in double figures for Derbyshire in a sorry second innings.
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Just the ticket. Parky replaces Tom Bailey at the Brian Statham End.
Meanwhile, Gloucestershire are crumbling, losing their glue, Hammond, to Moriarty for 45 before Smith bowled by Joverton for one. At 148-7, they need 167 to make Surrey bat again. A forlorn hope. Should they lose, Lancashire will be the only team in the Championship with an unbeaten record.
The off stump
WICKET WATCH @SaqMahmood25 knocks out Steve Patterson's off stump! Yorkshire 92-4 #LANvYOR pic.twitter.com/PuSEzYedot
— Lancashire Cricket (@lancscricket) May 30, 2021
The middle stump...
WICKET WATCH @SaqMahmood25 rips out Will Fraine's middle stump! Yorkshire 92-3 #LANvYOR pic.twitter.com/t06yAtBkfV
— Lancashire Cricket (@lancscricket) May 30, 2021
Another for Mahmood! This time it moves away, away and ping the off stump flies! Beautifull. Yorkshire 92-4.
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A beauty from Saqib Mahmood! A fast inswinger that plucks Fraine’s middle stump and sends it flying. Fraine turns his bat the wrong way round and plods off, the second time in the match he’s had an unplayable ball from Mahmood. Yorkshire 87-3.
That man Pennington again! Fourth of the innings, eighth of the match. Derbyshire 188-8, still 33 behind
Leicestershire lose their first wicket of the day and it is Sam Evans, who gives John Simpsom some catching practise. Tom Helm pockets his first of the innings and Leics are 85-2. A wicket too soon.
A fizzing opening ball from Mahmood which Fraine leaves with an eye-brow raising boldness.
The players are out, Patterson pressing forward, forward, forward with his bat as he walks. Mahmood has the ball from the James Anderson end.
This is Bangers the Labrador with the 6 cricket balls he found in the bushes at @ChiddinglyCC today.
— Dogs at Cricket Grounds (@dogsatcricket) August 12, 2020
A very good boy. 🐶🏏 pic.twitter.com/HxOrE3QLju
It has just been pointed out to me that Northants will NOT leap on top of Yorkshire if they win... apologies. If Yorks lose today they will have 99 points; and if Northants win they will have 97.
We know Jimmy Anderson would have preferred to take his 1000th wicket at the Roses match, but needs must.
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Vic over a morning coffee: heaven.
Morning scores
Group One
Riverside: ESSEX 182 and 301 BEAT DURHAM 99 and 189 by 195 runs
Edgbaston: Warwickshire 341 all out and 201-6 v Nottinghamshire 297
New Road: Worcestershire 421 all out v Derbyshire 270 and 112-6
Group Two
Grace Road: Leicestershire 136 and 75-1 Middlesex 295 and 218 all out Leicestershire need 303 to win
The Oval: Surrey 473 all out v Gloucestershire 158 and 124-5
Group Three
Old Trafford: Lancashire 509-9dec v Yorkshire 159 and 85-2
Hove: Sussex 175 and 298 v Northants 256 and 131-2 Northants need 87 to win
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Saturday's round-up
His shadow lolling out to the right, a white flannel tucked into the waistband of his trousers and his cropped hair gleaming in the sun, Lancashire’s Matt Parkinson ripped a ball into the rough. Out it fizzed, and Adam Lyth guided the ball off his hip and into the waiting hands of Luke Wells at leg slip. The first “Oh Lanky Lanky” since 2019 trilled over Old Trafford as Lyth stalked towards the dressing room.
Seven overs later, the penultimate of the day, Saqib Mahmood hurtled in off his long, long run and pinned Tom Kohler-Cadmore in front of the stumps. Mahmood punched the air while Kohler-Cadmore slumped back off, followed shortly afterwards by a clatter that sounded very much like a bat being thumped repeatedly against a wall.
Their frustration was understandable: Kohler-Cadmore and Lyth had batted for 38 of the 47 overs Yorkshire had to survive in the day, risking sending the masses into a stupor with their dedication and application to the task at hand: batting for the rest of Saturday and the whole of Sunday. They so nearly did it.
It was Josh Bohannon, with the help of Danny Lamb, who had set Lancashire up for the kill, moving to the second Championship century of his career and his first Roses hundred slow-quick-slow – which was just what was needed. Wickets came as Lancashire upped the ante before the declaration, but by then the lead was 350.
Yorkshire’s woes won’t have been helped by Northamptonshire’s progress down at Hove. With a win in touching distance, they will leapfrog Yorkshire to second place in Division Two. Despite a game second innings by Sussex, which included a hundred by Tom Haines and 95 for Ben Brown as well as five wickets for Simon Kerrigan, Northants were set just 218 to win. By stumps, they needed only 87 more with eight wickets in hand.
Essex beat Durham by 195 runs in an lbw-fest at The Riverside after Peter Siddle and Jamie Porter made mincemeat of their middle and late order. Durham lost five for 38 as the sun slipped down the sky, Alex Lees working hard for his 48. When Jack Burnham became the 19th player to be given out lbw, it was a record in an English first-class match.
Daniel Moriarty took his fourth five-wicket haul of his short first-class career, bowling Gloucestershire into a hole at The Oval. The Surrey bowler took six for 60, and Amar Virdi three for 46, in the first innings, as Gloucestershire were bundled out for 158, with only Miles Hammond in a four-hour 77 providing any bulk to the batting.
Following on, meanwhile, Hammond found himself at the crease sooner than he might have hoped and was unbeaten again on 38 at the close, but Gloucester are still 191 behind with just five wickets left.
Career-best bowling from Dillon Pennington gave Worcestershire the upper hand at New Road. Pennington snaffled four for 44 in the first innings then three for 25 in the next as Derbyshire were invited to follow on and crumbled.
Leicestershire need an unlikely 303 to win against Middlesex on a turning pitch. Chris Wright had whistled through Middlesex earlier with six for 48.
An intriguing final last day lies in wait at Edgbaston as Warwickshire and Nottinghamshire went nose to nose. Fifties for Michael Burgess and Will Rhodes inched Warwickshire to a lead of 245 by stumps.
Preamble
A most beautiful May morning, the sky milky-eyed blue, the air full of blossom and Paul Allot in his shorts. Here at Old Trafford, a thriller awaits as Yorkshire attempt to bat out the day and Lancashire, with Parky whirling and Mahmood charging, press for the kill.
Elsewhere, Northants should knock off the runs this morning; Leicester have to defy the might of Middlesex; at The Oval Miles Hammond lies between Surrey and victory; Worcestershire are on course to roll-over Derbyshire and a close match awaits at Edgbaston.
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