MATCH REPORT: Twenty-two wickets fall on extraordinary second day against Gloucestershire
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Twenty-two wickets fell for 300 runs on an extraordinary second day in this Rothesay County Championship match between Lancashire and Gloucestershire that saw the visitors reach the close with a 196-run advantage and two second innings wickets left.
Former Red Rose seamer Will Williams produced career-best bowling figures of 6-24 as Gloucestershire took charge by bowling Lancashire out for 138 just after tea, to enjoy a first innings lead of 78.
George Balderson hit back with four early wickets in the visitors second innings, on his way to 4-23, currently his best figures at Emirates Old Trafford, and the Lancashire attack combined superbly to reduce Gloucestershire to 86-8 before a battling unbeaten 44 by Kamran Dhariwal helped the visitors reach 118-8 in their second innings.
The day started brightly enough for the hosts as the Lancashire bowlers combined to take the last four Gloucestershire wickets for 48 runs after the visitors resumed their first innings on 164-6.
Balderson uprooted the off stump of Sai Kishore for 20 in his second over of the morning to break a fruitful seventh wicket partnership of 52 with Daaryoush Ahmed.
Ahmed, 33 not out overnight, posted his maiden first-class half century from 117 balls but fell for 51 moments later after edging Arav Shetty to first slip where James Anderson took a sharp catch in-between Mitch Stanley having both Williams (4) and Matt Taylor (18) caught in the slips by Anderson – a great diving catch – and Jennings respectively to end the innings on 212.
That meant Lancashire had 45 minutes to bat before lunch and they made a disastrous start to be 23-3 at the break, losing both Matty Hurst caught behind for 2 and Harry Singh lbw for a duck to JT Langridge, while Keaton Jennings edged Williams to third slip for 9.
And the wickets continued to tumble after the break.
Rocky Flintoff was bowled by Williams for 9, Taylor nipped one back to bowl Marcus Harris through the gate for 19 and Williams had Ben Walkden caught behind for 1 to have Lancashire in deep trouble at 43-6.
Balderson opted for a counter-attacking approach hitting seven of his first 22 balls faced for four, including three in one over from Langridge.
Shetty twice cut Ahmed for four in the bowler’s opening over as the fifty-partnership arrived from 48 balls – a complete contrast to what had gone before.
Balderson added two more boundaries to his tally before his quickfire innings ended on 39 from 33 balls when the left-hander drove Ahmed to Kamran Dhariwal at cover point to end a fruitful 66-run partnership.
Shetty, having contributed a battling 31, edged behind off Williams who went on to polish off the tail with two wickets in two balls in the first over after tea and march off with the match ball on his first return to Emirates Old Trafford since moving to Gloucestershire at the start of this season.
The visitors second innings started in sensational fashion as Balderson tore through the top of the order taking four wickets, three of them in his second over.
Ed Middleton was caught at third slip by a diving Jennings, Ollie Price edged to first slip three balls later – the bowler’s 50th first-class wicket of the season – swiftly followed by Miles Hammond lbw first ball.
Balderson then hit the top of off stump to send back Joe Phillips for 16, and Stanley had James Bracey caught behind for 13 to raise Red Rose hopes of turning this match around.
When Stanley took two excellent catches, both over his shoulder running back, and both off Walkden to send back Ahmed (8) and Kishore (0), Gloucestershire had stumbled to 63-7 with a lead of 141.
But the visitors lower order provided stubborn resistance with Williams helping Dhariwal add 23 for the eighth wicket before he was superbly caught by Walkden diving at midwicket off Anderson for 11.
Dhariwal and Taylor continued to extend the lead with an unbroken stand of 32, finally reaching stumps at 7.10pm.
“I think the game is in the balance, to be honest,” said Lancashire captain James Anderson.
“I don't think the wicket has played as bad as the scores would suggest.
“There's been some really good bowling from both teams. I think both teams could have batted better. We'd be disappointed with their showing, but the situation in the game, I think we're 200 behind with two wickets to get, so we feel like we're well in the game.
“We know we're going to have to play really well in the second innings. We've got two wickets to get in the morning as quickly as possible, and then we've got an opportunity to win a game.
“I think you need people to show their heart and their character, and that's what George did today. He was unbelievable, bowling 20 odd overs in the first innings and then top-scoring, and then coming out and doing that again with the ball and getting us right back into the game with an incredible spell.
“It sets such a good example to everyone else. We've got a young side, so for someone to do that and show that character and heart to be able to get us back in the game is incredible. “
“For me, it's the consistency that he's showed throughout the year.
“Every time you give him the ball, you know he's going to hit an area and ask questions. On the wickets we've been playing on this year, they've assisted him probably more than they have done in the past. But he has been our go-to bowler.
“He bowls the long spells, he's not shy of coming back. When we need a wicket, he's the sort of guy we turn to. He's just been incredible to captain.”
Ken Grime
Photos: Luke Adams & Dan Adams
