MATCH REPORT: Bailey takes six-wicket haul as Lancs fightback against Essex
Tom Bailey’s six-wicket haul led a good Lancashire fightback after Tom Westley’s century and his record-breaking century partnership with Paul Walter rescued Essex from a poor start on the second day of this LV= Insurance County Championship encounter at Blackpool.
Skipper Westley made 135 to put Essex in a strong position at tea but Tom Bailey, with six for 59, helped bowl the visitors out for 282 with Lancashire 37 for one and behind by 245 runs at the close.
A day played mainly in glorious sunshine, in sharp contrast to the wet conditions twenty-fours earlier, began with Lancashire enjoying the better of the opening hour as Essex, resuming on 12 for one, lost three wickets for 35 runs.
Two fine opening spells from Bailey and Will Williams had the visitors in early trouble, starting when Alastair Cook was caught for 11 edging Williams to Keaton Jennings at first slip.
Bailey then had Dan Lawrence dropped at slip, but caught for one from the following delivery in bizarre circumstances. The Essex batter’s fierce drive flew straight back at the bowler who inadvertently deflected the ball to Bohannon at mid-off.
Having made 13, Matt Critchley became the third wicket of the day to fall, when he edged a beautiful seaming delivery from Williams to wicketkeeper Phil Salt to put the hosts firmly on top.
Westley and Walter slowly but surely turned the innings around either side of lunch with Walter hammering two sixes off left arm spinner Hartley in the last over before the interval.
The pair dominated the afternoon, Westley reaching his fifty with a sweetly timed on drive for four just after the resumption, and he produced some stylish shots across the session to reach his third century of the season from 166 balls, with his 15th four also breaking the Essex fifth wicket record partnership of 147 against Lancashire – set coincidentally at Blackpool – by Sonny Avery and Tom Pearce in 1948.
The only blemish of a fine innings came when Westley was on 78, with Hartley unable to cling to a sharp chance at midwicket off Colin de Grandhomme.
Walter went to his 80-ball half century in style, pulling Jack Blatherwick over midwicket for his third six. His crisp striking of the ball was a feature of his controlled, slightly more aggressive approach that had brought the left-hander 76 runs before he was spectacularly caught one-handed by Blatherwick at midwicket off de Grandhomme just before tea with Essex 210 for five.
Essex continued to prosper after the break as Simon Harmer (24) lent good support to Westley with 65 runs added for the sixth wicket before Lancashire hit back with the second new ball, taking the last five wickets for seven runs inside seven overs.
Westley’s excellent innings came to an end after five and a half hours at the crease when he edged Williams to Rob Jones at second slip and Bailey then ran through the tail with a superb spell, taking the remaining four wickets in 20 balls after bowling Harmer, having Doug Bracewell caught at midwicket by Dane Vilas and trapping both Will Buttleman and Sam Cook lbw.
Lancashire lost Luke Wells for a duck, playing on against Jamie Porter but Jennings (13 not out) and Josh Bohannon (20 not out) survived to reach stumps safely.
“We struggled in that middle session but after playing at the Oval last week we knew the Kookaburra balls get quite soft and it becomes quite tough to take wickets,” said Tom Bailey.
“But we knew if we kept in it, and kept the ball dry, then when the new ball came around we’d have a chance.
“And we got our rewards in the end.
“They were looking at potentially getting a decent total, 350, 400, or so. We stuck at it and managed to get the last five wickets for seven runs. That was a bonus.”
There was a real contrast in the weather conditions with a sunny day following yesterday’s rain and Bailey added:
“Yesterday I felt like it could have been 150 all out in those conditions.
“The pitch had flattened out this morning and soon as that ball gets soft, it’s so difficult to take wickets. It wasn’t the best session from us in that middle period but the boys came back out fighting in the final session.
And Bailey was keen to share the plaudits with Will Williams.
“Will keeps me going,” he said.
“It’s quite easy to get frustrated sometimes but he’s relentless. He’s been great to bowl with. We are always chatting at mid-on and mid-off, trying to keep each other going. It seems to be working.
“All me and Will are talking about is getting that Dukes ball back in our hands!”
With so much time lost yesterday, the prospects of a result have lessened but Bailey added:
“After twenty to thirty overs (with these balls), it’s a different game so if Keats and Bosh can get to that point tomorrow hopefully we can kick on and get a really good total on the board.”
Ken Grime
Photos: George Franks & Luke Adams
