SECOND XI REPORT: Magnificent Morley claims 12-wicket match haul as Lancs chase 242 target
Jack Morley took his second six wicket haul in the match and produced career-best figures of 12 for 177 as Lancashire hit back against Durham on an eventful third day.
Morley’s 12 wickets in the match were just one short of equalling seam bowler Bob Ratcliffe’s Lancashire Second XI record thirteen wickets taken against Worcestershire at Urmston in 1974.
The left-arm spinner sent down a marathon 22 over-spell either side of lunch to produce figures of six for 56 as the hosts lost ten wickets for 96 runs to be bowled out for 168 in their second innings.
That left Lancashire requiring 242 runs to win, and they had reached 130 for five in their second innings by the close to leave a further 112 needed on the final day.
Lancashire added 10 runs to their first innings total at the start of the day with Harry Birkman replacing Josh Boyden at the crease as a concussion substitute.
Boyden was injured at the end of the second day attempting a quick single during which he was hit on the helmet by the fielder’s throw when diving to make his ground at the bowlers end. The player, who got up and left the field unaided, will now follow concussion protocols and miss the remainder of this game.
Danny Lamb then replaced Birkman, and Cian Dickinson replaced Rob Jones when Durham began their second innings with a first innings lead of 73 after Birkman was bowled for 6 by pace bowler Daniel Hogg who finished with an excellent four for 48.
Ben McKinney and Harry Crawshaw followed their first innings double-century partnership with another good alliance of 72 in 17 overs as the hosts quickly built on their lead. But both fell to Lamb within 13 runs of each other, Crawshaw edging to Matty Hurst at first slip for 35 and McKinney lbw for 44.
Wickets tumbled to Morley once the openers had departed, Ross Whitfield pulling to Lamb at deep midwicket for 4 just before lunch, and the left arm spinner continued to find good flight and spin after the interval to have Jon Bushnell lbw for 15, bowl Haydon Mustard from the following delivery and have left hander Callum Gaffney caught driving by Lamb at mid-off for 17.
Lamb next extracted some good bounce to have Stanley McAlindon edging to wicketkeeper Bell for 1 while Morley was soon celebrating his second six-wicket haul of the match when Hogg gave the spinner a return catch via a leading edge after making 4, followed by Hurst taking a fine reaction catch at short leg off left hander Sebastian Hughes-Piñán to have Durham 143 for nine.
A last wicket partnership of 25 frustrated Lancashire for a short time until Oli Gibson was lbw playing no shot to a sharply turning ball from Dickinson to wrap up the innings at 168 with George Drissell unbeaten on 32.
But following an opening partnership of 39, Lancashire lost three wickets for 7 seven runs as they set off in pursuit of their target.
Keaton Jennings fell lbw for 14 sweeping at off spinner Drissell, George Balderson drove Brandon Glover off the back foot to Whitfield at extra cover for 24 and Bell clipped Glover to Crawshaw at midwicket for 3.
Harry Singh and George Lavelle then had a moment of uncertainty that led to Lavelle being run out for 7 attempting a third run after the pair had added 22 runs.
Hurst and Singh steadied the Red Rose innings with a 59-run partnership until Hurst became the last of 16 wickets to fall on an eventful day when he skied spinner Hughes-Piñán to Glover at long-off for 21.
Singh, who compiled a patient unbeaten 34, and Tom Aspinwall (3 not out) will resume the Lancashire innings tomorrow, with 112 needed and five wickets left.
Photo: Luke Adams