MATCH REPORT: Superb Jennings century gives Lancs advantage
A fourth century of the season by Keaton Jennings steered Lancashire into a strong position on 344 for eight after the first day of this Vitality County Championship match against Nottinghamshire at Southport.
It was a masterful, battling unbeaten innings of 183 off 258 balls (26 fours and 4 sixes) by Red Rose captain Jennings that held the Lancashire innings together after the visitors had threatened to take charge after lunch.
A sellout crowd had turned up hoping to see James Anderson in action for Lancashire one more time, evinced by the collective groan that rose around the Trafalgar Road ground when it was announced Haseeb Hameed had won the toss and opted to bowl. Those present had to settle for watching one of Anderson’s potential England successors instead.
Dillon Pennington, selected for the first time alongside Anderson in the England squad announced today, put in a strong shift that returned two for 70 from 23 overs across five separate spells on a slowish pitch.
Pennington's lively six over opening spell conceded just three runs but went without reward and it was the first change bowler Dane Paterson who struck first, nipping one back to bowl Luke Wells for 7.
Jennings and Bohannon steered Lancashire to 59 for one at lunch in a session shorn of 22 minutes due to rain but the visitors fought back strongly with three wickets in the afternoon.
Wicketkeeper Joe Clarke, having taken over the gloves from Tom Moores, dropped an edge by Bohannon off Olly Stone but redeemed himself by holding onto a near identical edge by the Lancashire batter off the very next ball.
Pennington snared his first wicket when George Bell edged to second slip for 8 after an uncomfortable 39-ball stay at the crease followed by Matty Hurst tamely chipping Lyndon James to Stone at midwicket for 2 to leave Lancashire 120 for four after the Notts attack had skilfully dried up the run scoring during the afternoon.
It was Red Rose skipper Jennings who held the innings together with a mixture of calculated attack and strong defence that saw the left hander deposit Paterson over square leg for six while his 16th four brought up a 179-ball hundred.
Jennings found strong support from George Balderson who made 41 and twice lofted consecutive Liam Patterson-White deliveries into the Harrod Drive gardens overlooking the ground, in an 88-run partnership that wrestled the initiative back for the hosts.
In a lengthy 41-over final session that saw 194 runs scored, Chris Green (9) and Tom Bailey (20) were both lbw to James (three for 53) while Will Williams edged Pennington behind for a duck.
But Jennings opened up as started to run out of partners, hammering a tiring attack and taking 47 balls to go from his hundred to reach 150 as he deposited Stone for six onto the adjacent railway line and ramped Paterson over long-on for six more.
Notts cause was hardly helped by three chances of varying difficulty offered by Jennings being put down during the evening that ended with Lancashire having a strong total that they will look to bolster tomorrow – and with, for those spectators attending, Anderson likely to both bat and bowl.
Keaton Jennings, Lancashire said:
“It was a good day today. It was one those where you get into a position where you could push the game on.
“Luckily it came off, a few went over the rope and found the gaps so hopefully we can get past 350 and get another point.
“It felt really hard work this morning, but I thought the guys played beautifully.
“I thought they bowled a bit short in the morning and it got slightly easier as they day went on. But there were balls jumping from a good area which made it hard work.
“They had to bring their main guys back in the afternoon which damages you a bit for the new ball. At the end of the day you try to take a few calculated risks.
“It’s a ground I enjoy playing at, going back to when I played here with Durham. It has a really nice atmosphere. So to come here and push into a nice position in the game is awesome.
“I’ve always been a believer that it’s about team performance and success so to contribute to team success is what I want to do. I grateful that today has been my day.”
