Bohannon century rescues a draw against Northants
Today's match report presented by C&C Insurance Brokers
Josh Bohannon’s 14th first-class century came to Lancashire’s rescue as this absorbing Rothesay County Championship Division Two match with Northamptonshire ended in a draw.
A career best 7 for 119 from a marathon 57 overs and career-best match figures of 11 for 153 by the on-loan Calvin Harrison looked at times to be propelling Northamptonshire to a first win in 26 years at Old Trafford.
But Bohannon’s seven hour plus innings of 155 allied to a half century from Marcus Harris led some stern resistance from the hosts who started the morning on 126 for two and fought their way through the day to reach 351 for nine by the time the players shook hands at 5.40pm with five overs left and Lancashire 83 runs ahead.
Needing to take eight Lancashire wickets, Northamptonshire struck early when Harrison disposed of nightwatchman Anderson Phillip for 10, bowled playing down the wrong line to a delivery that turned just enough.
That proved to be the visitors’ only success of the morning as Bohannon and Harris played watchfully but with increasing authority through the rest of the session in a partnership that had knocked a further 72 runs off the overnight deficit of 144 by the lunch break.
Bohannon, 60 not out overnight, accumulated steadily before joyfully on-driving Harrison for four through midwicket to reach his fourth century in 10 innings against Northamptonshire to add to the two fifties he has scored against the Wantage Road side.
Harris settled in quickly after edging his first boundary to third man off Raphy Weatherall although it bounced well in front of the slip cordon. The Australian left hander reached the fence seven more times before posting his half century from 94 balls that included one sumptuously timed back foot square drive that was arguably the shot of the day.
Northamptonshire grabbed the new ball as soon as it became available after 23 overs with skipper Luke Procter ringing the changes, using eight bowlers in all, in the hunt for a breakthrough which finally arrived three overs into the afternoon.
Harris had just posted his third fifty plus score in four innings during a partnership of 94 when he was well caught at short leg by James Sales off Harrison with Lancashire 243 for four and still 25 runs in arrears.
Bohannon drove Harrison gloriously through the covers for four to take the home side into the lead halfway through the day but the bowler then removed Matty Hurst for 8 via a catch at slip by Ricardo Vasconcelos.
The wicket Northamptonshire really wanted arrived ten minutes before tea with Bohannon’s unlucky dismissal and Harrison was celebrating a second first-class five-for when George Balderson popped up a bat/pad catch to Sales at short leg eight overs into the evening.
Luke Wells and Tom Bailey (8 not out) took the game into the final hour before Harrison removed Wells for 39 and Tom Hartley for 1 in quick succession but his fine, valiant effort proved to be in vain.
Josh Bohannon was delighted to have helped save the draw today.
“We are buzzing to get out with a draw after the first dig and then certainly where we were last night,” he said.
“We knew what we had to do today. And, you know, we've barely just about done it, but that's all that matters.
“The fighting resilience from everyone that's had to bat today, has shown that Lancashire grit that we talk about and to come out with a draw, given the fact that Northants played excellent cricket for four days, I think is just as good for us.
“We know we've not played our best cricket and we have fought and got that draw. And I think there's a lot of good stuff that comes out of this game for us to take that forward and just be a little bit more switched on in our first innings, particularly as a batting unit.
“If we can do that from ball one, it'll definitely stand us in good stead.”
And Bohannon was delighted to have hit some form with the bat.
“Yeah, it was a massive relief more than anything,” he admitted.
“I've worked incredibly hard over the winter on various things, not just cricket, but I felt like today was a reward for that.
“I didn't have a really good week last week at Lord’s and obviously the first innings didn't go my way.
“I ended up putting quite a bit of hard work in the day before and yesterday.
“So, to try to come out with that result today, and not in a losing cause, fills me with a lot of confidence moving forward.”
Points: Lancashire 10, Northamptonshire 15.
Ken Grime
Photos: George Franks, Luke Adams, Dan Adams
