SECOND XI REPORT: Roses defeat dents title hopes
Lancashire were bowled out for 185 on the third day of the Second XI Championship match at Southport & Birkdale Cricket Club to lose by 316 runs against Yorkshire.
The defeat means that Lancashire drop to third in the Championship table on 13.70 points average behind new leaders Leicestershire (14.75 pts av) and Hampshire (14.29 pts av) with two games remaining. Those top two teams meet for their final game at the Ageas Bowl next week.
Resuming the day on 137 for five, Yorkshire set about extending their 385-run lead but lost Will Fraine early, caught behind for 21, to give Jack Morley ( 5-79) a fifth wicket in the innings.
Harry Singh (3-53) took all three of the remaining wickets to fall; Noah Kelly (45) gave Matty Hurst another catch behind the stumps, Matt Milnes (34) swept to deep square leg and Dom Leech was bowled 15 before Yorkshire declared on 253 for nine, leading by 501 runs.
Lancashire made a poor start to their second innings against an experienced Yorkshire attack losing both openers, Singh and Hurst. from consecutive deliveries with the score on 29. Cian Dickinson followed ten runs later before Gennaro Reddy and George Lavelle added 40 for the fourth wicket until Reddy was lbw for 20 to seamer Charlie McMurran.
Lucas Selby made 27 in a 45-run partnership with Lavelle before hitting off spinner Jack Shutt to deep mid-wicket, Lavelle top scored with 35 but edged Milnes to second slip and Joe Chapple became the third wicket to fall for 8 runs when bowled by Shutt.
Morley (21) and Harvey Walker (26) added 36 before both fell to Yash Vagadia, and Shutt clinched victory for the White Rose by trapping Haider Hussain lbw for 5 with Lancashire bowled out for 185 in both of their innings.