SECOND XI REPORT: Lancashire secure dominant 332-run win
Lancashire Cricket’s Second XI wrapped up an impressive win over Northamptonshire at Dunstable Town CC, to start their Championship season in perfect fashion.
Earlier in the day, Red Rose openers Kesh Fonseka and Harry Singh saw their mammoth partnership of 373 come to an end, after putting their side in a very strong position.
The pair took less than two overs to reach their 350-run partnership. However, they could only add 23 more to that before Singh was dismissed for a superb 172, with Gus Miller taking a catch off his own bowling.
It was Miller who also dismissed Fonseka, drawing an outside edge from the Lancs opener, ending his sensational knock of 187. Rocky Flintoff (22 not out) helped push Lancs’ lead well past 500, before the declaration came.
Northants’ target of 524 seemed a long way off. Their chase started poorly, with Tom Walker taking a superb one-handed catch off his own bowling mid-follow through to dismiss opener Aadi Sharma before lunch. Immediately after the break, the opening bowler repeated the feat. Rob Keogh looked to launch a pull-shot over mid-wicket, but top-edged his shot, leaving Walker to take a steepler.
Lancs’ grip on the game tightened as the session went on. Walker soon struck for a third time, dismissing Miller LBW for a duck, with a full ball that would have been crashing into middle stump.
2026 Academy inductee George Brown was in on the action next. Arush Buchake was caught at short leg by Fonseka, who you could not keep out of the game, and Brown took a diving effort off his own bowling to dismiss Adam Fox.
The Red Rose were closing in on the win, with Luke Hands the next quick bowler to make his mark. He picked up two wickets in consecutive overs, including that of skipper Dom Leech, to leave the hosts reeling with two wickets in hand.
When Justin Broad (59), who scored his second half-century of the game, was caught behind by Joe Moores off the bowling of Charlie Parkinson, Lancs were one wicket away from victory. Haider Hussain was the man to seal the win. The leg-spinner drew number 11 Tiaan Louw out of his crease with a slower delivery, with Moores doing the rest behind the stumps, whipping off the bails to wrap things up.
It was a dominant 332-run victory for Lancashire, and an unforgettable week for Fonseka and Singh. Their extraordinary 373-run partnership will live long in the memory.
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