MATCH REPORT: Lancashire clinch big win against Somerset
Lancashire clinched a vital 168-run win against Somerset to keep their hopes of survival alive in the Vitality County Championship.
It took just 32 minutes and 7.1 overs for the Red Rose attack to take the four wickets required and continue Somerset's poor record at Emirates Old Trafford where they have won just seven times in 59 matches on this ground.
This was also the first game in the history of the County Championship where play had continued into the fourth day after 21 wickets fell on the first day.
The first wicket of this fourth day came from the first ball when Luke Wells bowled visiting skipper Lewis Gregory with a googly.
Wells (four for 36) also accounted for Brett Randell who, having twice pulled the bowler to midwicket for four, tried the shot again and was bowled for 9.
By then Anderson Phillip had trapped Craig Overton lbw for 4 and the West Indies quick ended the game by bowling James Rew for 31 with Somerset 224 all out.
Lancashire take 19 points from the match and Somerset 3, while the result means Surrey are Champions for the third year in a row.
Lancashire trail Nottinghamshire by 15 points going into the final match of the season next week against Worcestershire.
“It’s been a really good game of cricket," said skipper Keaton Jennings.
“A good surface, two teams competing over the course of four days. It’s been good fun.
“I’m really chuffed the lads have put in what I think is our best team performance over the course of this campaign," he added. "It’s really pleasing."
“It’s down to guys putting their hands up. Wellsy got 130 and put in a performance that the team required to try and get us into a winning position and then he took poles this morning.
“Guys chipped in with the new ball; Anderson, Bails, Will, Baldy. The bowlers had to take 20 wickets to win the game and they’ve done that.
“It’s been an entertaining three and a bit days, so it just shows you cricket at Old Trafford has been really good.
“It’s awesome what the guys have produced over the last three days.
“I thought both sides were under par first innings, it wasn’t a 140 surface. I also didn’t think it was a 400 surface either which we got.
“All in all, both sides competed and made errors to let each other back into the game.
“We could have disintegrated, but didn’t. We continued to fight like we have over the whole campaign. The guys have tried really hard, they just haven’t quite got it right like we did this game."
"I think there's maybe a perception at times that guys actually don't care. I can tell you the guys love playing for Lancashire. Guys love putting on a Red Rose jersey and going out and performing.
"I've never got the sense this year that guys haven't wanted to show up and put in a performance. We've just missed the mark from an execution point of view several times which happens.
"It's no excuse. This game we've got it right. Hopefully it's a stepping point.
"You never know what happens next week. Maybe there's rain around and it gets taken out of our hands.
"All we can do is focus on what we can do. Go to Worcester and prepare well over the next few days.
"Get down there and play four days of good cricket and hopefully that gives us a chance."
Ken Grime
Photos: Barry Mitchell, Luke Adams, George Franks.