SECOND XI REPORT: Essex clinch 126-run win
Essex clinched a 126-run victory after bowling Lancashire out for 376 on the final day of this Second XI Championship match at Billericay.
It was a valiant effort by the Red Rose batters, Arav Shetty top-scoring with 77 on the day it was announced he is joining Lancashire’s squad for the Metro Bank Cup, and Harry Singh and Ollie Sutton both making 55.
Having been set 503 runs to win from a minimum of 135 overs the day before, Lancashire resumed their second innings on 140-2 but lost Singh early when was bowled by Jamal Richards after adding four runs to his overnight 51.
Shetty and Tom Aspinwall added 72 for the fourth wicket, Shetty passing fifty for the fifth time this season off 72 balls and hitting 12 fours before he was lbw to Richards with the score on 219-4.
Aspinwall hit 7 fours in making 46 but was bowled by a superb seaming delivery from Richards who finished with 4-57.
When Joe Moores was lbw to Jack Parrish for 21 and Haider Hussain edged behind off left-arm seamer Danny Gladwell, Lancashire were 275-7 and facing a huge task still 228 runs away from their target and with 53 overs left.
An enterprising 76-run partnership in just 11.3 overs between Sutton and Joe Chapple during the afternoon threatened to take Lancashire must closer to their target, Sutton hitting left arm spinner Parrish for a six to add to his 9 fours while Chapple played more of an anchor role hitting 4 fours in his 94-ball innings of 35.
They were parted when Chapple feathered an edge behind off Jack Auld, and the last two wickets of Charlie Barnard and Sutton both fell on 376.
The defeat leaves Lancashire fourth in the Group 1 table on 38 points, 18 points behind leaders Worcestershire with two games left.
TEAMS
Lancashire: Tom Aspinwall (capt), Harry Singh, Kesh Fonseka, Arav Shetty, George Bell (wkt), Ollie Sutton, Joe Chapple, Hassan Mughal, Joe Moores, Charlie Barnard, Charlie Parkinson, Haider Hussain.
Fielding substitute: Joe Moores took over as wicketkeeper from George Bell after 71 overs of the Essex second innings.
Essex: Robin Das (capt), Nick Browne, Jamal Richards, Simon Fernandes (wkt), Ayaan Malik, Johnny Connell, Ali Zeb, Nav Dwivedi, Charlie Bennett, Danny Gladwell, Jack Parrish, Jack Auld.