Clark takes three of the best
LANCASHIRE seamer Jordan Clark took a remarkable hat-trick in the opening session of a thrilling County Championship match as he made light work of Yorkshire’s starstudded middle-order.
England pair Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow were hoping to spend time in the middle ahead of the Test series against India, while the Tykes line-up at Old Trafford also boasted New Zealand captain Kane Williamson.
Root had hit successive fours at the start of Clark’s second over but the Lancashire all-rounder responded in stunning fashion.
England Test skipper Root had raced to 22 off 19 balls when he was trapped in front before Williamson – a place below his county teammate at fourth in the world rankings - was dismissed in the same manner.
Bairstow, one of England’s most in-form players, came in to face the hat-trick ball and edged to international colleague Jos Buttler in the slips to spark wild celebrations.
Clark’s special feat on the stroke of lunch left Yorkshire on the ropes at 61 for four at the interval, and they ended 192 all out.
Lancashire openers Keaton Jennings and Alex Davies came to the crease and ticked along nicely, reaching 46 without loss before Jennings was removed thanks to an incredible catch from Root.
Jennings smashed a pull towards the England captain at mid-wicket, who plucked it out of the air one-handed.
Soon the Red Rose county were 55-2 after Haseeb Hameed shouldered arms to a ball from Steven Patterson and it crashed into his stumps.
That became 55-3 as Dane Vilas was pinned lbw second ball by Steven Patterson, and was on his way without scoring.
As the end of play neared Yorkshire were right back in the fight as Lancashire slumped to 66-4, when England wicketkeeper Buttler glanced one down the leg side off Tim Bresnan into the hands of Jonny Bairstow. A Tattersley ................................................................................................. P Baxter ........................................................................................................ M Smith Zafar Jadoon ........................................................................................... F Siddiq ct Carl Auckland Zafar Jadoon ....................................................... T Baxter ct Matthew Smith Paul Goodman .................................................... I Siddiq Zafar Jadoon ............................................................................................. Extras (5), lb (3), w (12), nb (1) ...................................................................... For Wkts (7) TOTAL ................................................................................................... 11 Overs T Sanders Israr-ul-haq Jones M Askham Tom Baxter ........................................................................................ M Smith ct Matthew Crane Tom Baxter ........................................................ A Rehman .................................................................................................... F Hussain ..................................................................................................... Extras (5), lb (5), w (9), nb (3) ...................................................................... For Wkts (2) TOTAL ................................................................................................... 42.3 Overs I Amjad