SECOND XI: Blatherwick hits rapid 50 on Day One vs. Yorkshire
Lancashire Cricket’s Second XI had a strong opening day against Yorkshire in their four-day friendly clash at Weetwood Sports Ground in Leeds.
Lancashire captain Tom Hartley won the toss and elected to bat first, with Kesh Fonseka and Rian Maisuria opening the innings for the Red Rose. The pair got things off to an excellent start, looking to capitalise on the decision from Hartley at the toss.
They got into the work quickly, with Fonseka being the aggressor in the partnership. He found the boundary four times as they reached 50 for the opening stand, including driving through the covers to bring up the milestone.
The Lancs openers continued to build on what was a strong platform. Off the first ball of the 24th over, Fonseka clipped a ball off his pads into the leg side for two runs and brought up the century partnership. The Red Rose went into lunch without having lost a wicket, and with 105 runs on the board.
After the break, Fonseka could only add six runs to his personal total before he was bowled by Rizwan Ishfaq just two shy of his half-century. His knock of 48 came off 98 balls and included eight boundaries.
Maisuria, though, continued going about his business. Seven overs after his opening partner fell, he reached his half-century, from 94 balls with six boundaries.
His partnership with Harry Singh (37) progressed nicely. They continued to build upon the foundations laid in the morning session and soon reach a half-century partnership of their own, with Singh punching the ball off the back foot for four down the ground to bring it up.
However, eight balls later, Yorkshire broke the partnership. Bradley Sylvester beat the defences of Maisuria with a brilliant yorker, dismissing the opener for an impressive 62 from 126 balls. Just two balls later, the fast bowler had another wicket, with Freddie Vaughan-Hawkins falling after clipping the ball to mid-wicket.
It meant Lancashire had to rebuild, and Singh, now at the crease with trialist Zak Tribe, took on a more measured approach as he looked to steady the ship. The Lancashire number three was soon out though, bowled by a ripping leg-spinner from Leo Wilson.
Captain Hartley (11) was dismissed by Wilson soon after, but Tribe looked to go on the offensive against the spinners despite the loss of those two wickets.
The number five made his way to a half-century, showing some good stroke-play against the spinners including sweeps square of the wicket and powerful shots down the ground.
He also shared a brilliant partnership with Jack Blatherwick, reaching a rapid half-century for the sixth wicket off just 49 deliveries.
Tribe was eventually out LBW off the bowling of Owen Smith, struck on the pads to a ball that didn’t lift off the pitch as he might have expected. He made 63 from 87 balls, including six fours and a couple of sixes.
In the following over, Blatherwick brought up a superb 50 of his own in the very next over, off just 30 balls, with one four and six maximums. He fell two balls after reaching the milestone, caught by Silvester off the bowling of Smith.
Charlie Barnard scored an invaluable 27 to help get Lancashire up to 352, with Yorkshire taking the final wicket in time to bat for four overs that night.
Blatherwick and spinner Hartley took the new ball, but the White Rose openers survived to leave the game well poised ahead of an exciting Day Two in Leeds.
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