SECOND XI REPORT: Magnificent Harris makes maiden century on opening day against Gloucs
George Harris scored a magnificent 191 in his maiden Second XI Championship innings against Gloucestershire to keep Lancashire afloat at Blackpool on the opening day as the hosts posted 328 all out. In reply, Gloucestershire were 39-3 at stumps, trailing by 289 runs.
Lancashire Academy batter Harris arrived at the crease at the start of the eighth over with his side in early trouble on 23-2 following the loss of Miller Childs and George Bell during a lively seven-over opening spell by Daaryoush Ahmed, and the 17-year-old initially helped Kesh Fonseka rebuild with a partnership of 69 in 20 overs.
Fonseka became the third player to edge Ahmed into the catching cordon behind the stumps just before lunch having made a solid 47 that included 10 fours, and Lancashire were 127-4 early in the afternoon when Ollie Sutton chopped on off Jonny Bushnell for 12.
Harris, who had reached his fifty from 77 balls took centre stage as the day progressed, despite the Gloucestershire attack steadily working their way through the Red Rose batting line-up.
Luke Hands contributed 17 to a 45-run partnership for the fifth wicket but his dismissal was the first of five wickets to fall for 62 runs during the late afternoon that saw last man Archie Davies join Harris with Lancashire on 234-9.
By then the left-handed Harris had progressed to his maiden Red Rose century from 133 balls in style by hitting his second six off spinner Alfie Johnson, and the last pair proceeded to add 94 for the tenth wicket off 116 balls, Davies contributing a vital, solid, unbeaten 15 off 38 balls.
Harris went to his 150 from 170 balls and had hit 5 sixes and 20 fours before he somewhat unluckily bottom-edged Ahmed Syed onto his stumps when just nine short of his double century. It was the end of a fine innings.
Lancashire’s bowlers then rounded off a good day by taking three wickets when Gloucestershire began their first innings.
Jos Eckland cut Charlie Parkinson to Davies at gully for 5 while Max Dunne edged a steepling delivery from Tom Walker to wicketkeeper Bell for 27.
Kamran Dhariwal fell to the first ball of the final over of the day when giving a return catch to Parkinson off a leading edge for a duck with Tommy Boorman 3 not out.
TEAMS
Lancashire: George Bell (capt/wkt), Kesh Fonseka, Miller Childs, Archie Davies, George Harris, Josh Boyden, Haider Hussain, Charlie Parkinson, Tom Walker, Luke Hands, Ollie Sutton, Jaden Rose.
Gloucestershire: Max Dunne, Jos Eckland (wkt), Tommy Boorman, Kamran Dhariwal, Daaryoush Ahmed (capt), Ahmed Syed, Jamie Dunk, Jonny Bushnell, Hishaam Khan, Aman Rao, Alfie Johnson, Arafat Bhuiyan.