LIVE BLOG: Lancashire v Essex, Day Three
The latest news from the third day of our LV= County Championship match against Essex at Stanley Park, Blackpool.
7.00pm, CLOSE Day 3
Essex 2nd inns 292-8 dec.
Dan Lawrence hammered 9 sixes and 9 fours in a brutal assault on the Red Rose attack over the second half of the day that ended on 135 in the final over of the day when he was caught at long-off by Keaton Jennings off Luke Wells at which point Essex declared on 292 for eight, ahead by 429 runs.
No side has ever score more than 301 runs to win in the fourth innings of a match at Blackpool and realistically the equation tomorrow for Lancashire will be to try and bat out the day.
6.45pm
Essex 2nd inns 220-7, Lawrence 102 Bracewell 22, lead by 357 runs.
Dan Lawrence reaches his third century of the season in magnificent style with a six off Tom Hartley over midwicket. it has come off 112 balls with 5 sixes.
6.25pm
Essex 2nd inns 190-7, Lawrence 90 Bracewell 0, lead by 327 runs.
Simon Harmer has been well caught one-handed by Keaton Jennings at slip off Tom Bailey for 4 and Will Buttleman is lbw to Tom Hartley for 4.
A declaration looks imminent with Dan Lawrence on 90.
6.05pm
Essex 2nd inns 165-5, Lawrence 83 Harmer 0, lead by 302 runs.
The visitors are doing their best to get some quick runs.
Dan Lawrence has now hit 4 sixes and Paul Walter one, and Walter perishes attempting to hit a second but is well caught by Josh Bohannon at long-on off Tom Bailey for 24.
To put the lead into perspective, no side has ever chased down 302 to win at Blackpool.
5.35pm
Essex 2nd inns 122-4, Lawrence 66 Walter 0, lead by 259 runs.
Matt Critchley is bowled for 40 slog/sweeping at Tom Hartley as Essex look to press on towards a lead of 300 or more.
That breaks a partnership of 95 in 19 overs.
5.05pm
Essex 2nd inns 89-3, Lawrence 50 Critchley 25, lead by 228 runs.
Both Dan Lawrence and Matt Critchley have driven well with Lawrence also pulling Tom Bailey for six as conditions have definitely eased in the Blackpool sunshine since tea.
Lawrence has now reached his half century from 71 balls.
4.40pm
Essex 2nd inns 58-3, Lawrence 37 Critchley 9, lead by 195 runs.
Back under way after tea with a lengthy 39 over session ahead, a lot could happen in that time.
So far Dan Lawrence and Matt Critchley are just trying to get settled as take the Essex well past the 200 mark.
4.10pm, TEA Day 3
Essex 2nd inns 42-3, Lawrence 24 Critchley 7, lead by 179 runs.
The end of the afternoon session with Essex well ahead in this game at the moment.
3.55pm
Essex 2nd inns 27-3, Lawrence 21 Critchley 0, lead by 164 runs.
That's a lovely delivery from Will Williams that leaves the batsman but not before Tom Westley edges behind to Phil Salt.
This game keeps moving along!
3.40pm
Essex 2nd inns 20-2, Westley 5 Lawrence 14, lead by 157 runs.
Tom Westley and Dan Lawrence have eased the pressure slightly following that poor start to the innings.
3.14pm
Essex 2nd inns 0-2, Westley 0 Lawrence 0, lead by 137 runs.
The second ball of the over brings reward as Cook cuts Will Williams to Dane Vilas at point. Incredible.
3.13pm
Essex 2nd inns 0-1, A. Cook 0 Westley 0, lead by 137 runs.
That shower has taken five overs from the day's allocation, and Will Williams is ready to bowl the second over of the innings to Alastair Cook.
2.53pm, RAIN DELAY
Essex 2nd inns 0-1, A. Cook 0 Westley 0, lead by 137 runs.
Nick Browne has faced 7 balls in this match, all against Tom Bailey who is celebrating taking the wicket of the Essex opener for a second time aft er trapping him lbw.
That's a 'pair' for the unfortunate Browne.
Three balls later a heavy shower has stopped play.
2.38pm
Lancashire 1st inns 145 all out trail by 137 runs
Tom Bailey slogs Sam Cook for six over extra cover but is bowled next ball for 13, appearing to lose sight of a looping full toss from Cook that lands halfway up the stumps.
A slightly strange end to the innings with Phil Salt left unbeaten on 35.
2.35pm
Lancashire 1st inns 137-9 (41 overs) Salt 34, Bailey 7 trail by 145 runs
Phil Salt has slog/swept Paul Walter for six over midwicket and that ball has left the ground!
Then Tom Bailey averts the follow-on with a crunching back foot square cut for four.
2.20pm
Lancashire 1st inns 121-9 (41 overs) Salt 25, Bailey 0 trail by 161 runs
Sam Cook has got this ball seaming away and he finds the edge of Will Williams' bat, caught by wicketkeeper Will Buttleman for 3.
Essex could enforce the follow-on if they take the final wicket before Lancs get to 133.
1.30pm, LUNCH Day 3
Lancashire 1st inns 116-8 (38 overs) Salt 23, trail by 166 runs
That has been a great morning for Essex and a pretty bad one for Lancashire, with four wickets falling just before lunch for 2 runs.
Jack Blatherwick is the latest to go, lbw to Paul Walter for 0.
1.27pm
Lancashire 1st inns 116-7 (37 overs) Salt 23, Blatherwick 0, trail by 166 runs
The wickets continue to fall, Colin de Grandhomme lbw for 0 second ball pushing forward at Sam Cook followed by Tom Hartley first ball edging Walter to Alastair Cook at first slip.
1.20pm
Lancashire 1st inns 114-5 (36 overs) Salt 22, de Grandhomme 0, trail by 168 runs
The introduction of left arm seamer Paul Walter into the attack has done the trick for Essex.
Josh Bohannon departs for 44 after glancing Walter to Simon Harmer at leg slip.
1.10pm
Lancashire 1st inns 107-4 (33 overs) Bohannon 43 Salt 16, trail by 175 runs
Phil Salt has arrived at the crease in a positive frame of mind.
He's driven three boundaries in fairly emphatic style, two of them from consecutive Doug Bracewell deliveries.
12.40pm
Lancashire 1st inns 90-4 (30 overs) Bohannon 42 Salt 0, trail by 192 runs
Doug Bracewell produces a great delivery that finds the edge and Rob Jones is caught behind for 11.
12.30pm
Lancashire 1st inns 85-3 (27 overs) Bohannon 42 Jones 10, trail by 197 runs
Close call for Josh Bohannon who has been dropped at second slip by Simon Harmer off Doug Bracewell.
Lancashire trying to pick their way through a tricky spell here and probably hoping this Kookaburra ball does go softer from around the 30 over mark as Tom Bailey explained yesterday.
Day 2 Report
12.15pm
Lancashire 1st inns 76-3 (24 overs) Bohannon 39 Jones 0, trail by 206 runs
Keaton Jennings departs for 29 after edging Sam Cook to Matt Critchley at second slip.
Two balls later he's followed back to the pavilion by Dane Vilas who calls for a quick single but is run out by a great piece of fielding by Doug Bracewell who hits the stumps with a direct throw.
12.00pm
Lancashire 1st inns 53-1 (18 overs) Jennings 20 Bohannon 29, trail by 229 runs
Keaton Jennings and Josh Bohannon have made a nice, positive start this morning.
Jennings drove Porter for four through midwicket while Bohannon has a taken couple of boundaries off Sam Cook, the latter bringing up the fifty partnership.
11.45am
Lancashire 1st inns 37-1 (14 overs) Jennings 13 Bohannon 20, trail by 245 runs
Sunshine is trying to break through as the players get ready to start the third day of this LV= County championship match.
Jamie Porter is ready to send down the first over to Keaton Jennings.
11.00am
The umpires have completed their inspection and play will start at 11.45am with a minimum of 92 overs to be bowled today. Lunch is at 1.30pm and tea will be at 4.10pm.
10.50am
The continue to work on the pitch after this morning's rain and we will have a delayed start.
10.15am
The rain has stopped and the groundstaff are now mopping up.
A pitch inspection will follow, so we will have to wait for news regarding the start of play.
10.00am
A short, sharpshower has swept through Stanley Park in the last 15 minutes forcing the groundstaff to cover the pitch and leading to possibility of a delayed start.
9.30am
Bright but cloudy conditions have greeted us at Stanley Park this morning.
Lancashire will continue their first innings on 37 for one with Keaton Jennings 13 not out and Josh Bohannon 20 not out in reply to Essex's 282 all out when play resumes.
In the meantime have a read of our match report from an eventful day two.