Hameed’s 247 haunts Lancashire
Nottinghamshire captain hits unbeaten career-best total Stone and Pennington put England selectors on notice
Lancashire are enduring a painful season so far and they are on the cusp of another defeat thanks to a stunning career-best 247 from the Nottinghamshire captain Haseeb Hameed, once a proud wearer of the red rose.
Bolton-born Hameed emerged as a prodigious talent at Old Trafford, leading to a Test debut with England in 2016. But, through injury and a dip in form, he lost his way at Lancashire, eventually leaving for Trent Bridge at the end of the 2019 season. With Notts, he briefly forced his way back into the England team in 2021, but is now club captain and a key player.
Hameed, 27, did not make a firstclass hundred last season, and has endured a quiet start to 2024, but he saved his very best for the county that helped rear him.
In response to Lancashire’s 331, Nottinghamshire were 275 for seven when Hameed, who had 134, was joined by Olly Stone late on day two. The pair shared 163, both making career-bests, to put the hosts utterly in control with a firstinnings total of 503.
Stone, who is back fresh from injury and pushing for an England recall, made a highly encouraging 90 before Hameed ran out of partners, carrying his bat to finish 247 not out. This was his 13th first-class hundred, but first double.
In the face of a 172-run first innings deficit, Lancashire crumpled to 100 for six by stumps with Dillon Pennington, another Nottinghamshire quick with England aspirations, outstanding, picking up three for 25. Notts are suddenly sniffing their first win of the season, while Lancashire are facing a third defeat, with a gap threatening to emerge at the bottom of the table.
Another team led by an opener produced by Lancashire, Warwickshire (whose captain is Alex Davies) are on the brink of defeat at the Oval after a day of typical relentlessness from champions Surrey. Jamie Smith turned his overnight 98 into 155 and, supported by Sean Abbott’s unbeaten 50 from No10, ensured Surrey took a first-innings lead of 123.
Surrey, inspired by Kemar Roach’s brilliant six for 46, bowled Warwickshire out for 209, to set up a target of just 89. Surrey’s openers Rory Burns and Dom Sibley had knocked off 31 of them by stumps.
Kent have a fighting chance of escaping with a draw against
Worcestershire, thanks to Jack Leaning’s unbeaten 152 from 349 balls. Leaning batted throughout the third day as Kent closed on 362 for eight in their first innings, still 256 behind Worcestershire.
A draw seems almost certain at Southampton, after David Bedingham’s hundred helped Durham close on 410 for eight, just 93 behind Hampshire.
In Division Two, Glamorgan secured their first win for 12 months, breaking a run of six successive draws, by hammering highflying Sussex in Cardiff. Three quick top-order wickets from Mir Hamza then a maiden first-class five-wicket haul from Andy Gorvin contributed to Sussex being bowled out for 188, with Glamorgan knocking off a target of 56 just one down.
Glamorgan head coach Grant Bradburn admitted he had some selection “headaches” before Friday’s visit of Middlesex. Australian Test batsman Marnus Labuschagne should be available for that game, but their two early-season overseas pros, Hamza and Colin Ingram, the leading runscorer in the country, have done more than enough to hold their place.
Sussex remain top of Division Two, but put in what head coach Paul Farbrace described as a “pretty ordinary performance”.