Lancashire lose thriller

LANCASHIRE fell to a six-run defeat in a thrilling match against Surrey in yesterday’s pink-ball Specsavers County Championship match at the Kia Oval.

Surrey had Morne Morkel to thank after he bowled a superb 6 for 57.

Will Jacks, the substitute fielder, took his third brilliant short leg catch of the innings as Morkel dismissed last man Matt Parkinson for seven to bowl out Lancashire for 264.

First, Morkel took 3 for 15 in a fierce six-over spell on the final morning, as Lancashire slid to 209-8 as they chased 271 for victory, and then he returned to split an heroic ninth wicket stand of 57 between Graham Onions and Tom Bailey.

Onions made a courageous 29, including sixes over long on off both Morkel, in the first session, and then Sam Curran when the England all-rounder bowled the very first ball with the second new ball.

Lancashire reached the day’s first interval at 247 for 8, still 24 runs away from the win that would have lifted them from the bottom of the Division One table, with Onions and Bailey at that stage having added 38 in a stand that threatened to provide a final twist to what was a fiercely-fought four-day contest.

Lancashire assistant coach Mark Chilton said: “At this stage it’s pretty devastating for everyone in the dressing room because when the margin of defeat is just six runs then you haven’t done very much wrong.”