Lancs turnaround impresses Chapple
CRICKET CHRIS OSTICK
GLEN Chapple has seen most things in county cricket, but not even he could remember a Lancashire side turning a game around as much as they did against Somerset.
From 42-6 on day one, being bowled out for 109 and conceding a 169-run first innings lead, Lancashire pulled off a stunning victory at Emirates Old Trafford.
And it wasn’t even close in the end, as the Red Rose skittled the visitors out for 130 to claim a 164-run win on the final day of the Specsavers County Championship Division One match.
It was Lancashire’s first County Championship win since May last year. After two solid away draws to open the season, Lancashire have already answered some tough critics who expected them to really struggle to stay in the top flight this season.
And they pulled off this win without the injured run-machine Shivnarine Chanderpaul and skipper Steven Croft.
Liam Livingstone and Alex Davies were the stars with the bat, pulling Lancashire back into the game on days two and three with a 245-run stand, while Ryan McLaren marked his home debut with another four wickets on the final day to finish the match with eight.
“It is a fabulous way to win,” he said.
“It needs a remarkable effort from a batting unit to pull a game like this around.
“We know we have a lot of promising youngsters, in fact they are more than quality youngsters they are quality cricketers now. But I think it is important we realise that sticking together as a unit carries a hell of a lot of weight.
“We had a tough first day, but we created belief that we can get over the line.
“If you have played well but keep drawing, that can sap your belief, but this is a really important one for us.
“However much you talk about doing the right things and the results will come, you need a result.
“But it is only one win.”
Lancashire were bowled out for 463 just before lunch on the final day, leaving Somerset with a victory target of 295 from 77 overs.
But that was never on the cards once the Red Rose began to rip into their top order after lunch, with seven wickets falling in the afternoon session, with Jordan Clark (3-12) and McLaren the main destroyers.