Lancashire v Derbyshire, Rothesay CC, Emirates Old Trafford - Days 1-4

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Day Four: Lancashire 351 all out (Marcus Harris 125, Josh Bohannon 73, Shoaib Bashir 4-76) & 160 all out (Marcus Harris 66), defeated Derbyshire 374 all out (Harry Came 83, Brooke Guest 83, Paul Coughlin 4-79) & 108 all out (James Anderson 4-18), by 29 runs.

Lancashire skipper James Anderson took four for 18 to help his side defy the odds and defeat Derbyshire by 29 runs on a dramatic last day of the Rothesay County Championship match at Emirates Old Trafford. 

Having bowled out Lancashire for 160 in their second innings, Ben Aitchison taking three for 38, Derbyshire needed only 138 to record their first victory on this ground since 1996. 

But Lancashire’s four-man seam attack had other ideas and despite skipper Harry Came’s 30, the visitors lost their last nine wickets for 75 runs with Anderson taking four for 7 in his 4.5-over second spell. Lancashire take 21 points from the game to Derbyshire’s six.

James Anderson, said: 
“We managed to scrape to 160 and it gave us half a chance to get a win. And then, you know, to be honest, in those situations, you've just got to keep running in and keep believing that something's going to happen. 

“I think when you win games like that, when it's close, it probably feels better than a comfortable win. But obviously, you don't want it to be like that every week. We've had two games now at the start of this season which we've really had to battle to get results. 

“Last week, we came close. This week, we've gone one better, but we've had to work really hard for it.”

Day Three: Lancashire 351: Marcus Harris 125, Josh Bohannon 73, Shoaib Bashir 4-76 & 147-6: Marcus Harris 58 not out, Paul Coughlin 35 not out, lead Derbyshire 374 all out: Harry Came 83, Brooke Guest 83, Paul Coughlin 4-79, Mitch Stanley 3-93, by 124 runs.

Derbyshire dominated a dramatic third day of this Rothesay County Championship match at Emirates Old Trafford and have every chance of recording their first Championship victory on this ground since 1996. 

After replying to Lancashire’s first-innings 351 with a patient 374, thereby earning a 23-run lead, the visitors took five prime wickets before that deficit was wiped out. Two were taken in seven balls by 36-year-old Muhammad Abbas and three more in eight deliveries, all with the score on 23, by Zak Chappell.  

Lancashire then effected a significant recovery from 23 for five, thanks in part to Marcus Harris, who made 58 not out and they will go into the final day with a lead of 124 and four wickets in hand. After taking four for 79 on his Lancashire debut, Paul Coughlin was unbeaten on 35 at the close. 

Lancashire’s assistant coach, Will Porterfield, said: “I think if we can eke out another 50-plus runs or look to get towards that 200 total over the last four wickets in hand, then I think anything up around 200 will be a tricky chase on there.

Marcus Harris, his hundred in the first innings was brilliant. And today, just the calmness and composure when we didn't have the start we liked, just how he marshalled that through and that partnership with Tommy (Hartley) to get us into a decent position. 

“And when we lost Tommy as well, getting through with Paul Coughlin there. So to anchor that innings through is obviously arguably as good as his first innings. 

“We did it last week. We had a good partnership down the back end of the innings and I think that's what's needed at different points in the season. You obviously don't want to rely on your lower order to pull you out too often, but everyone has to contribute. 

“So those two partnerships were great, and hopefully we get another two partnerships like that tomorrow and put ourselves in a commanding position. You're not going to dominate four days, that doesn't happen too often. You're going to have to absorb pressure at some point and I think Harry kind of epitomised that, how he did that and the calmness he showed and how he really reeled things in and just went about his innings. 

“I think that's why you bring an experienced player like that, so that young lads coming through can learn off him and understand in those situations how you want to go about things. 

“I think with the new ball, it has been tricky the last couple of innings starting off so we need to apply that pressure again and hopefully, instead of beating the bat, we get a few nicks and there's no reason why we can't put them on the back foot.”

Day Two: Lancashire 351 Marcus Harris 125, Josh Bohannon 73, Shoaib Bashir 4-76 lead Derbyshire 235-3 Mitch Stanley 2-67 by 116 runs.

Derbyshire skipper Harry Came made 83 to help his side reply strongly to Lancashire’s 351 on a rain-shortened second day of the Rothesay County Championship match at Emirates Old Trafford.

The visitors ended the day on 235 for three, still 116 in arrears after a day of fine cricket, the highlight of which, for home supporters, was perhaps Mitch Stanley’s six-over spell of genuinely fast bowling immediately after lunch.

However, two rain breaks and frequent showers immediately after tea meant that 23 overs were lost on this second day. Nevertheless, Derbyshire might still be well placed to embarrass Lancashire if they can bat on and build a lead on the third day. Brooke Guest was 60 not out and Martin Andersson unbeaten on 37 at the close

Lancashire debutant, Paul Coughlin, said:

“We looked at the game at the start of the day and being put in and getting 351, I think you've got to be happy with that. We felt we probably left a few out there, but still in a pretty good position.

“I think they've played pretty well. We've put a few chances down, which doesn't help, but there's still plenty of runs for them to chase here to get ahead of us. So, I still think we're in a pretty good position, if I'm honest.

“We felt we bowled well. On another day, you might pick up three or four in that session and then you're in a much stronger position. But that's cricket and sometimes it goes your way and sometimes it doesn't.

“The new ball is such a big thing in all games of cricket, but I think with this wicket especially, once the ball went soft, it just didn't react the same off the surface. It's such a key period of the game, that new ball.

“How we bowled this morning with the newer, harder ball, I think if we can get the new ball in the morning and create the same chances, I think we're probably due a few.”

Day One: Lancashire 351 Marcus Harris 125, Josh Bohannon 73, Shoaib Bashir 4-76 lead Derbyshire 0-1 Mitch Stanley 1-0 by 350 runs.

Shoaib Bashir took four for 76, his best figures in domestic cricket, to help Derbyshire fight back on the first day of their Rothesay County Championship match against Lancashire at Emirates Old Trafford.

Having only signed his new county in January, Bashir made the most of his opportunity to bowl on a pitch offering him little help, as Lancashire were dismissed for 351, a total they managed in large part due to Marcus Harris’s 125, his fourth century for the county.

Josh Bohannon had earlier made 73 and put on 146 for the third wicket with Harris. But thanks to Bashir’s late afternoon spell of 10-1-27-3, the game is far more evenly balanced than had seemed likely when Lancashire were 252 for three just before tea.

Ben Aitchison took three for 57 but Derbyshire suffered a late blow when Caleb Jewell chopped to Mitch Stanley's last ball of the day without scoring.

Marcus Harris said:

“It is good to be back. I really enjoyed my time here last year, so to get back and spend some time in the middle today was really good.

“I think coming into the day, we were a little bit unsure about how the pitch was going to play. It just looked really different to what we've played on and what I've played on here before, so there was a little bit of the unknown. And then to be two down for not many early on, we were in a tricky position.

“So to get through to lunch with Josh Bohannon and then go from there was really good.

“Probably, maybe potentially I could have left a few out there at the end, but yeah, it was just good to spend some time in the middle.

“I think with our bowling attack tomorrow, we’ve already got a wicket. So I think we could challenge them potentially and have a good day.

“Josh batted really well. He obviously batted really well last week and didn't miss a beat again today, so didn't really feel like he had any pressure on me per se.

“And the boys are just in a good headspace. They batted well last week. You can sort of sense that around the group.”