SECOND XI REPORT: Hayes four wickets help Lancs fightback after Akhtar century
A maiden second team century by Jawad Akhtar in a big fifth-wicket partnership with Jordan Thompson was countered by a Lancashire-best of four for 43 by Dom Hayes as Yorkshire were bowled out for 406 on a second rain-shortened day in this Second Eleven Championship Roses match. Lancashire had reached 56 for one in reply by the close.
After rain had prevented any play until 1pm at Southport for the second day running Akhtar and Thompson picked up where they had left off, steadily adding to the 69 runs they had posted the previous evening with Yorkshire resuming on 227 for four.
Akhtar soon made the four runs he needed to reach his fifty from 139 balls and he quickly accelerated, hitting eight more fours in taking only 46 more deliveries to reach his first Second Eleven Championship century.
Thompson went to his half century from 114 balls and provided excellent support as the pair reached their century partnership in just under two hours from 202 balls and the 150-run alliance arrived an hour later as Lancashire struggled to make a breakthrough.
But the Red Rose attack finally had some reward as both batters fell in quick succession just before tea.
The persevering Hassan Mughal, on his second team debut, produced a seaming delivery that Akhtar edged to Harry Singh at second slip having made 111 and Thompson cut Harry Birkman (three for 65) to Charlie Barnard for 79.
Those wickets started a slide where the last six Yorkshire wickets fell for 63 runs with Hayes polishing off the tail after the break with a fabulous 28-ball spell of 4 for 10.
Chinmay Mullapudi, Matt Milnes and Josh Hoyle all edged behind and Jafer Chohan flicked to Arav Shetty at midwicket with Yorkshire suddenly 406 all out.
Lancashire lost Kesh Fonseka lbw to Chohan for 27 just before the close to trail by 350 runs going into the third day with Singh unbeaten on 28 alongside Barnard (0 not out).
Teams
Lancashire: Harry Singh, Kesh Fonseka, George Lavelle (wkt), Arav Shetty, Jack Blatherwick (capt), Josh Boyden, Charlie Barnard, Joe Chapple, Henry Murray, Harry Birkman, Dominic Hayes, Hassan Mughal.
Yorkshire: Yash Vagadia (capt), Noah Kelly, Will Bennison, Harry Duke (wkt), Jawad Akhtar, Josh Hoyle, Jordan Thompson, Jafer Chohan, Chinmay Mullapudi, Brad Sylvester, Matt Milnes, Joe Davies.