SECOND XI REPORT: Roses match ends in a draw
Lancashire and Yorkshire played out a final day battle for bonus points as this Second XI Championship ended as a draw at Headingley after the entire first day had been lost to rain and only 17.3 overs bowled on the second. Lancashire were bowled out for 266 and had reached 53-2 in their second innings, in reply to the hosts’ 430-8 declared, when the players shook hands.
Harry Singh and Kesh Fonseka steadily added to their overnight partnership of 54 when play resumed on time, Singh playing a mixture of elegant front and back foot drives and Fonseka looking equally assured in making 42. Yorkshire seamer Michael Edwards broke their partnership on 75 when Fonseka pulled a short delivery to Ben Cliff at fine leg.
Singh, who reached his half century off 81 balls just before lunch, and George Lavelle added 108 runs inside 25 overs for the second wicket either side of the interval and were going well until Alex Wade nipped a delivery back to bowl Singh for 64.
England spinner Dom Bess then stepped up with an excellent 21 over spell of 6-53 as Lancashire on 183-1 lost their last nine wickets for 83 runs. Having made an excellent 80, Lavelle got a leading edge to a drive off Dom Leach who took a smart low catch. By then Bess had already bowled Cian Dickinson and had Rocky Flintoff caught at long-on, and the off spinner ploughed through the batting line-up to snare four more wickets.
Corey Flintoff provided some resistance with an unbeaten 22 off 49 balls before Charlie Parkinson edged behind off Edwards to end the innings shortly after the tea interval.
Following-on 164 runs behind and with a minimum of 31 overs to face, Lancashire had a nervy start after losing Singh, caught at first slip off Edwards for 0, and Fonseka, who chipped Cliff to Wade at mid-on for 6 in the first two overs.
Skipper Lavelle, with an unbeaten 31, and Dickinson, 13 not out, ensured there were no more alarms with an unbroken partnership of 47 runs to seal the draw.
Lancashire take 11 points from the match and Yorkshire 15.
TEAMS
Lancashire: Harry Singh, Kesh Fonseka, George Lavelle (capt), George Bell (wkt), Tom Aspinwall, Cian Dickinson, Josh Boyden, Joe Chapple, Charlie Barnard, Haider Hussain, Charlie Parkinson, Dominic Hayes.
Substitutes: Corey Flintoff and Rocky Flintoff replaced Tom Aspinwall and George Bell at the end of day 2. Wicketkeeping change: George Lavelle for George Bell at the end of day 2.
Yorkshire: Will Luxton (capt), James Wharton, Matt Revis, Noah Kelly, Harry Duke (wkt), Dom Bess, Will Bennison, Dom Leech, Michael Edwards, Ben Cliff, Alex Wade.
Substitute: Jawad Akhtar for Matt Revis at the end of day 2