Northants battle to draw over Lancashire
George Bartlett defied a vintage bowling performance from Lancashire captain Sir Jimmy Anderson (3-45) to secure an unlikely, but hard-earned draw for Northamptonshire with a valiant, rear-guard 95 (197 balls, 12 fours) on day four of this Rothesay County Championship match at Wantage Road.
In a tense final session with a packed infield, Anderson claimed his 400th first-class wicket for the Red Rose as Northamptonshire slumped to 181 for nine chasing a notional 321 to win.
But Bartlett, who showed great composure in steering his side from a precarious 63 for six at lunch, held his nerve. With Ben Sanderson keeping him company in a tense, unbroken last-wicket partnership of 32, the pair saw their side to safety at 213 for nine, Lancashire left to rue dropping Sanderson in the slips early in his innings.
Bartlett was well supported earlier in his innings in a stand of 72 for the seventh wicket with James Sales (24), and 57 for the eighth with Lewis McManus (27) in 32 overs.
Northamptonshire had resumed this morning on 9 for one and soon became tied down as Lancashire maintained constant pressure through the morning, reeling off a string of maidens as five wickets fell before lunch.
Anderson and Tom Bailey (2-43) put on a bowling masterclass, both finding plenty of movement through the air and off the pitch, Bailey making two early breakthroughs in three balls. George Balderson and Ajeet Singh Dale maintained the pressure, while left-arm spinner Tom Hartley tied down an end in a lengthy spell from over the wicket later in the day.
Bailey’s miserly seven-over opening spell contained five maidens and conceded just six runs as he claimed the day’s first two scalps. Nightwatcher Harry Conway was caught low down at fourth slip by Hartley before Calvin Harrison left one which hit off-stump.
Lancashire built steady pressure, as Northamptonshire went on the defensive, going 40 balls without scoring off the bat. Luke Procter, who never looked comfortable, tried to break the shackles but drove uppishly outside off-stump against Singh Dale, Luke Wells taking the catch at backward point.
Northamptonshire soon lost another. Balderson got one to climb off a length, the ball hitting Nathan McSweeney’s gloves and flying to gully.
Saif Zaib (10) played the morning’s most attacking shot, pulling Singh Dale for four, while Sales brought up Northamptonshire’s 50 in the 31st over. Northamptonshire, though, lost a sixth wicket just before lunch when Balderson pushed one across Zaib, taking the edge through to Matty Hurst behind the stumps.
Northamptonshire fought back after the interval against the older ball. Bartlett collected four runs off his pads off Anderson’s first delivery of the afternoon, before driving through midwicket. He continued to score off Anderson, garnering consecutive boundaries, clipping off his toes and driving through midwicket.
Sales meanwhile took on Bailey, punching through point and gathering another boundary off his hips, before running a single to mark both the 50 partnership off 62 balls and Northamptonshire’s 100.
But Sales found it increasingly difficult to score and, in a rush of blood, came down the wicket to Hartley and was caught at mid-off.
Bartlett duly moved to his half-century off just 59 deliveries, while McManus was happy to play within himself, eventually getting off the mark to the 21st ball he faced.
After tea, Bartlett drove Balderson for four as Northamptonshire passed 150, but the game started to drift. Lancashire brought on Wells and the part-time spin of Harry Singh to try to force a breakthrough, but Bartlett and McManus brought up their 50 partnership off 169 watchful deliveries.
Lancashire took the second new ball as soon as it was due. Anderson set McManus up beautifully, bowling a series of away swingers before nipping one back and trapping him lbw to claim his 400th first-class scalp for the Red Rose. Then in his next over he had Louis Kimber caught behind off one that held its line.
Bartlett though stayed the course, driving Anderson and Balderson through the covers and blocking out the final over from Hartley with men all around the wicket.
Day Four report presented by C&C Insurance Brokers
