LIVE BLOG: Lancashire v Middlesex, Day One
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6.00pm CLOSE
Middlesex 1st inns 38-2 (9 overs) trail by 163 runs, Geddes 11 du Plooy 12
The weather brings an early close which was a shame with 17 overs still left today.
We will be back tomorrow at 11am with 104 overs to be bowled. Our match report and reaction will follow shortly.
5.52pm BAD LIGHT STOPS PLAY
Middlesex 1st inns 38-2 (9 overs) trail by 163 runs, Geddes 11 du Plooy 12
We are off for bad light once more with 17 overs of the day left.
5.38pm
Middlesex 1st inns 24-2 (6.2 overs) trail by 177 runs, Geddes 9 du Plooy 0
That is comprehensively bowled! Max Holden loses his middle stump to be James Anderson's 26th wicket of the season! Great start.
5.35pm
Middlesex 1st inns 20-1 (6 overs) trail by 181 runs, Geddes 9 Holden 1
James Anderson makes an early strike as Sam Robson edges to Michael Jones at first slip who catches the ball at the third attempt!
5.20pm
Middlesex 1st inns 4-0 (2 overs) trail by 197 runs, Robson 2 Geddes 0
Lots of appeals as the Lancashire bowlers, James Anderson and Tom Bailey, beat the bat but nothing doing so far.
5.01pm
Lancashire 201 all out (67.2 overs) Anderson 3
It matters not, Chris Green is bowled by Seb Morgan (3-41) for 35.
4.54pm
Lancashire 198-9 (66.2 overs) Green 34 Anderson 1
Mitch Stanley is bowled by Toby Roland-Jones for 1 leaving James Anderson possibly facing the prospect of having to survive for five balls, or get Chris Green back on strike. The red Rose skipper does just that, scampering a single off his first ball.
4.40pm
Lancashire 188-8 (63.1 overs) Green 30 Stanley 0
We are back on after the light suddenly improved, but Tom Bailey is on his way off after edging a cut behind to wicketkeeper Cracknell off Morgan for 11.
4.00pm TEA, Day 2 BAD LIGHT DELAY
Lancashire 172-7 (60.1 overs) Green 22 Bailey 5
It has got increasingly gloomy and umpires Naeem Ashraf and Graham Lloyd have taken the players off the field.
3.37pm
Lancashire 164-7 (55.3 overs) Green 19 Bailey 0
Another great delivery from Ryan Higgins finds the edge off Tom Hartley to give wicketkeeper Cracknell his third catch.
The weather conditions have darkened sufficiently to have the floodlights switched on.
3.20pm
Lancashire 151-6 (51 overs) Green 13 Hartley 0
Keaton Jennings' great effort comes to an end on 67 as Toby Roland-Jones finds the edge. A big blow for Lancashire.
Chris Green is still there but has been dropped on 13 from a fairly straightforward catch to mid-off.
2.52pm
Lancashire 128-5 (45 overs) Jennings 60 Green 0
Middlesex are well on top as Matty Hurst edges Naavya Sharma to fourth slip for 7 and that is good reward for the bowler who has been excellent today.
2.25pm
Lancashire 121-4 (40 overs) Jennings 56 Hurst 4
A terrific over from Sebastian Morgan brings reward. He has Michael Jones playing and missing a number of times before the bowler angles one in that straightens to take out Jones' off stump. He's out for 27 to end a good partnership of 41.
1.55pm
Lancashire 93-3 (32 overs) Jennings 50 Jones 11
Keaton Jennings drives Ryan Higgins for four through the covers and then takes the single needed to go to his half century off 107 balls. Excellent knock.
1.50pm
Lancashire 87-3 (31 overs) Jennings 45 Jones 11
We are ten minutes into the afternoon session with brighter, occasionally sunny, weather as Middlesex restart with opening pair Toby Roland-Jones and Ryan Higgins in their attack.
1.00pm, LUNCH Day 1
Lancashire 78-3 (28 overs) Jennings 44 Jones 2
Middlesex having the better of the morning session bowling in helpful seaming conditions.
Keaton Jennings has been excellent for Lancashire in face of some high quality bowling.
12.54pm
Lancashire 75-3 (27 overs) Jennings 42 Jones 1
Marcus Harris is well caught by Sharma for 5 off a nice bit of bowling by Roland-Jones who held his delivery back a touch and got Harris driving on the up to mid-on.
12.40pm
Lancashire 65-2 (23.1 overs) Jennings 33 Harris 0
Keaton Jennings and Josh Bohannon have reached their 50 partnership off 118 balls but Bohannon then edges behind off the first ball of Ryan Higgins second spell.
Seb Morgan and Naavya Sharma must be shaking their heads after the pair have bowled so well without reward.
12.20pm
Lancashire 50-1 (19 overs) Jennings 33 Bohannon 7
Keaton Jennings and Josh Bohannon are battling away to establish their partnership and it has been tough going at times with Sharma and Morgan producing some really good deliveries.
11.55am
Lancashire 38-1 (13 overs) Jennings 24 Bohannon 4
Middlesex make a double bowling change with Naavya Sharma and left armer Seb Morgan replacing Toby Roland-Jones and Ryan Higgins.
11.40am
Lancashire 29-1 (9 overs) Jennings 17 Bohannon 2
Did I say cautious? Toby Roland-Jones bowls a bouncer that Keaton Jennings has nailed, the ball flying high over the man at fine leg for six!
11.30am
Lancashire 21-1 (7 overs) Jennings 9 Bohannon 2
Half an hour into the opening day and cautious progress made so far by Keaton Jennings and Josh Bohannon.
11.09am
Lancashire 9-1 (2 overs) Jennings 1 Bohannon 0
Middlesex make an early breakthrough as Ryan Higgins traps George Balderson lbw for 8 with a delivery that nipped back off the seam.
11.00am
Lancashire 4-0 (0.1 overs) Balderson 4 Jennings 0
Play getting under way in bright, albeit cloudy, conditions.
George Balderson is off the mark driving the first ball of the day from Toby Roland-Jones for four.
10.30am
TOSS: Middlesex have won the toss and elected to bowl.
TEAMS
Lancashire: Keaton Jennings, George Balderson, Josh Bohannon, Marcus Harris, Michael Jones, Matty Hurst (wkt), Chris Green, Tom Hartley, Tom Bailey, Mitchell Stanley, James Anderson (capt).
Middlesex: Sam Robson, Max Holden, Leus du Plooy (capt), Ben Geddes, Ryan Higgins, Joe Cracknell (wkt), Zafar Gohar, Toby Roland-Jones, Caleb Falconer, Sebastian Morgan, Naavya Sharma.
9.00am
Good morning from Emirates Old Trafford ahead of the first day of our Rothesay County Championship match against Middlesex.
The weather conditions are dry, with bright, sunny conditions at present.
The toss is due at 10.30am, with team news to follow. Play starts at 11am.
SQUAD NEWS
Lancashire
Australian overseas signing Chris Green is available for selection after linking up with the squad earlier than originally planned. The 32-year-old arrived in Manchester at the start of this week following his stint in the Pakistan Super League. Green will be available for Lancashire's next four Championship matches, in addition to the Vitality Blast.
Lancashire are without Ajeet Singh Dale, Arav Shetty and Luke Wells, after it was confirmed last week that the trio would all undergo surgery on the injuries suffered last month.
Paul Coughlin misses out this week, due to a minor injury. Tom Aspinwall and Jack Blatherwick also continue their rehabilitation with the Club's medical team.
Squad: Keaton Jennings, George Balderson, Josh Bohannon, Marcus Harris, Michael Jones, Matty Hurst (wkt), Chris Green, Tom Hartley, Tom Bailey, Mitchell Stanley, James Anderson (capt), George Bell, Ollie Sutton.
Middlesex
Middlesex have left out opener Josh de Caires misses out this week with Max Holden likely to move up to open, with either Caleb Falconer or Luke Hollman coming into their lineup. Hollman could join Zafar Gohar the spin attack if he gets the nod.
Squad: Sam Robson, Max Holden, Leus du Plooy (capt), Ben Geddes, Luke Hollman, Ryan Higgins, Joe Cracknell (wkt), Zafar Gohar, Eathan Bosch, Toby Roland-Jones, Caleb Falconer, Sebastian Morgan, Naavya Sharma.
Click on the red button below for our match preview.
MATCH PREVIEW