MATCH REPORT: Valiant Jones century can’t deny Essex
Rob Jones’ fine century led a great Lancashire run chase at Blackpool, but Essex held on to win a thrilling LV= Insurance County Championship match by 46 runs with just ten balls left.
This was a game where the outcome was very much in the balance for the first two sessions as Lancashire chased what would have been a record 430 runs to win after Essex declared on their overnight 292 for eight.
The visitors still needed six wickets at tea with Lancashire on 274 for four with Jones and Phil Salt going well.
But Essex struck two quick blows after the break and then steadily worked their way through the Red Rose batting with Jones standing resolute before being last out for a valiant 111.
It was a thrilling denouement, but the result ends Lancashire’s unbeaten 15-match run in the competition while the win keeps Essex hot on the heels of leaders Surrey.
Setting off in pursuit of their 430 target, the Red Rose enjoyed a good morning, reaching lunch on 140 for one.
Keaton Jennings and Luke Wells made a bright positive start with an opening partnership of 58 but having made 30 Jennings flashed hard at a short, wide delivery from Doug Bracewell only to nick it behind where Will Buttleman took an excellent flying catch.
Wells and Josh Bohannon responded positively with an attacking alliance either side of lunch that included both hitting sixes off Simon Harmer.
Wells was the first to reach a half century (83 balls, 1 six, 8 fours) cutting Sam Cook for four thirty minutes before the break, while Bohannon hit that landmark off 55 balls (3 sixes and 4 fours) soon after the afternoon resumption.
Red Rose hopes off getting a positive outcome from the day increased when 15 runs came from the two overs after lunch before those aspirations received a setback when Matt Critchley took two wickets in one over.
Wells was the first, cutting to Paul Walter at backward point for 75 followed by Dane Vilas bowled five balls later by the off spinner leaving Lancashire 155 for three.
And Essex next struck a big blow when Bohannon top edging a pull off Paul Walter to Jamie Porter at fine leg to depart for 68.
Jones and Phil Salt steered Lancashire to the halfway point of the day on 215 for four, exactly half of the runs required, and the pair compiled an excellent risk-free partnership that had both added 79 priceless runs by tea and frustrated the Essex victory push.
But with Lancashire needing 156 runs and Essex six wickets from the final 32 overs, it was the visitors who struck the early post-tea blows with two wickets.
Having made 41, Salt top edged a sweep off Critchley to Sam Cook at backward short leg and Colin de Grandhomme fell for 9 after pulling a short ball from Walter down the throat of Porter at long leg.
Jones held the innings together brilliantly, reaching his half century off 98 balls when driving Critchley to the long-off boundary and twice driving Harmer for four to keep the momentum of the innings going.
Tom Hartley joined forces with Jones to add 65 for the seventh wicket and take the match into the final hour.
But Essex plugged away, having Hartley caught behind for 17 off Sam Cook after a 65-ball innings of defiance, followed quickly by Jack Blatherwick caught and bowled for 1 by Porter moments later.
Jones reached his third first-class century from 149 balls (11 fours, 2 sixes) but lost partner Tom Bailey to a brilliant diving catch by Harmer for 8 leaving Jones and Williams to see out the remaining 44 balls.
They so nearly did it, with Jones agonisingly the last out after glancing Bracewell to Dan Lawrence at leg slip with Lancashire’s total of 383 their ninth highest fourth-innings score.
Lancashire take 3 points from the game and Essex 20.
"It's a bit bittersweet - I'm gutted we couldn't get over the line for draw,” said a disappointed Rob Jones.
“Obviously we were in a good position at one point to go on for the win until we lost a couple of wickets.
"We said at the start of the morning that a win would be an epic performance and we were right on track to do that, scoring at four and five an over for most of the day but we didn't quite get there.
"It was never the plan to do anything stupid but to stick to the game plan - the out field was pretty quick and the wicket was good and the sun was out so it was case of getting behind the ball and scoring when you could.
"There were a few areas in this game where we got it a little wrong but that's the way it goes and we've just got to bounce back as a team next week and look to put in a strong performance.
"I'm personally proud of this performance but the team didn't win and that's the most important thing."
Ken Grime
Photos: George Franks & Luke Adams
