MATCH REPORT: Flintoff fifty boosts Lancashire hopes
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A maiden, unbeaten, first-class fifty by Rocky Flintoff gave Lancashire a much-needed boost as the hosts chased a victory target of 248 against Gloucestershire on the third day of this Rothesay County Championship match.
Lancashire, who had slumped to 64-5 early in the afternoon, rallied to reach 120-6 by the time rain stopped play at 3.19pm, thanks to a 52-run partnership between Flintoff and Ben Walkden.
It leaves the hosts needing a further 128 runs on the final day.
At the start of the day the Gloucestershire lower order, resuming their second innings on 118-8, continued to frustrate the Lancashire attack as Kamran Dhariwal and Matt Taylor advanced their ninth wicket partnership to 70, the highest of the match.
By the time Dhariwal edged to James Anderson at slip for a well-crafted 66 and Taylor did likewise to Harry Singh at gully, both off Mitch Stanley, the visitors – 169 all out – had amassed a very handy lead that left Lancashire chasing 248 for victory.
That target looked far away when three wickets fell for 23 in the thirty minutes before lunch.
Matty Hurst was bowled by a fantastic yorker from left arm quick JT Langridge that the batter could do little about, while Harry Singh (6) and Keaton Jennings (16) edged to third slip off Will Williams and Langridge respectively.
The Gloucestershire bowlers continued to make further inroads into Lancashire’s seemingly fragile top order after the break with Marcus Harris edging a drive off the third delivery from Taylor’s opening spell to third slip for 9, while Arav Shetty was brilliantly stumped by James Bracey off left arm spinner Sai Kishore for 6 to have Lancashire struggling on 64-5.
Flintoff, who had driven his first ball for four, forged a good alliance with Walkden through the afternoon in a battling partnership of 52.
Flintoff, who pulled Taylor for six over midwicket to add to 9 fours, impressed with a series of straight drives on his way to a maiden first-class half century off just 59 balls.
Walkden lent great support in making a steady 24 before getting the faintest of nicks to wicketkeeper Bracey off Kishore just before rain took the players off for an early tea with Lancashire 120-6.
That proved to be the last of the action as a prolonged spell of rain saw play abandoned for the day at 5pm.
Flintoff (57 not out) and George Balderson (0 not out) will resume the Lancashire innings tomorrow morning.
Ken Grime
Photos: Luke Adams & Dan Adams
