Title perfect way to return for Red Rose
LANCASHIRE made mathematical certainty of the Specsavers County Championship Division Two title yesterday.
Northamptonshire’s failure to get more than one batting bonus point from their game against Durham combined with Lancashire gaining two points for their first-innings total of 259 against Middlesex at Emirates Old Trafford meant the Red Rose had secured their third promotion in seven seasons.
Liam Livingstone led the way for Lancashire with 84, while Steven Croft finished unbeaten on 55.
After posting a total that seemed no better than par on a decent wicket, Lancashire’s bowlers then ripped through Middlesex’s top order to reduce the visitors to 39 for six at stumps. Tom Bailey ended the day with figures of five for 16 from nine overs.
Having been asked to bat first, Lancashire openers Alex Davies and Keaton Jennings put on 49 for the first wicket in confident style before both departed in the space of six balls.
Davies was caught behind by John Simpson off James Harris for 16 and Jennings fell lbw to Miguel Cummins for 22 when he played inside a ball which was slanted in to him.
Josh Bohannon and Livingstone both began their innings with a flurry of fours but Bohannon’s hopes of repeating his 174 against Derbyshire ended when he was caught by Simpson off a fine ball from Toby Roland-Jones for 19.
The play after lunch was notable for a succession of boundaries, two of which were hit by the impressive Rob Jones, but the Cheshire right-hander was bowled for 11 when playing all too loosely at Harris.
An over later, Dane Vilas edged Cummins to Dawid Malan and departed for only his second duck of the campaign.
Livingstone went on the attack, reaching his fifty off 64 balls with a pulled four off Harris, but just when his century seemed probable, the Cumbrian right-hander was leg before to Ethan Bamber.
Bailey was caught at mid-off by Cummins off Nathan Sowter for nine but Croft’s unbeaten 55, his fourth fifty of the season, ensured Lancashire reached what by the close looked a formidable total. Sowter finished with three for 42 and Harris three for 59.
Middlesex’s response got off to a dreadful start as they were reduced to 15 for three by the ninth over, Sam Robson (eight), Nick Gubbins (five) and Malan (nought) going cheaply.
Max Holden and Martin Andersson – making his first championship appearance of the season – then departed lbw for four, joining Gubbins and Malan as victims of Bailey.
But the Lancashire new-ball bowler was not finished there.
He was fortunate to trap the Middlesex nightwatchman Cummins lbw for two, but then pulled off a brilliant caught and bowled, low to his right, to remove Holden for five.