Jack Blatherwick took four wickets when Lancashire pitched Somerset 90 on the second day of their match for the County Championship at Taunton, but Tom Lammonby hit a graceful hundred when the hosts followed; Warwickshire and Yorkshire title hunters heading to a thrilling finale at Emerald Headingley
Jack Blatherwick took four wickets as a Lancashire skittle Somerset for 90 at Taunton
Jack Blatherwick took four wickets in his first LV = Insurance County Championship for Lancashire when they put Somerset to the sword on the second day of their Division One match at Taunton.
After extending their first inning total from 364-8 to 373 total overnight, the visitors did quick work with a fragile home batting lineup, pitching them for 90.
Blatherwick finished 4-28 and Tom Bailey 3-9, forcing Somerset to follow with 283 behind. Only Azhar Ali, who turned 39, offered more than token resistance.
The hosts made a better punch in their second inning, going 226-4 at the end. Tom Lammonby led the way, hitting a fluid 100 of 103 balls, with 12 fours and three sixes, but his team still trailed by 57.
Warwickshire took three vital wards of the afternoon in defense of 224 on the second day of his match against fellow title hunters Yorkshire at Emerald Headingley. Yorks vs Warks scorecard
The winner of this penultimate round of Division One will establish a push for the title last week, while the loser will be virtually eliminated. Yorkshire closed at 50-3, including the loss of Dawid Malan on the last ball of the day.
Eighteen wickets fell on the first day in a row from 15 during a second day in which Tim Bresnan contributed bat and on the field against the county with which he won two championship titles in 2014 and 2015.
The veteran off-roader hit a lower-order useful 36 on 176 in the second inning from Warwickshire before receiving three receptions on the first slip. One of his trainees immediately before his departure from Headingley last summer, Jordan Thompson, claimed the best 5-52 of the season.
Third place Hampshire marked an absorbing second day of his showdown with the leaders Nottinghamshire, opening a 204-run lead in the Ageas Bowl. Hants vs Notts scorecard
In perfect seam bowling condition, they fell 16 wickets with Keith Barker taking a career-best 7-46 as the visitors were sacked for 155 in response to Hampshire’s score of 226 in the early innings.
But Dane Paterson inspired a Nottinghamshire comeback, cutting the hosts to 133-7 at the end after James Vince and Liam Dawson had bolstered the hosts’ lead with an 82-run position joining at 28-4.
It leaves a fascinating match firmly in the balance, although heavy rains are expected to disrupt much of the third day.
Hashim Amla was left fighting alone while Surrey battled to 107-7 on the second day in the Kia Oval after Essex they totaled 439 in their Division Two game. Surrey vs Essex scorecard
Surrey captain Amla, who came in at No. 3, remained defiant 58, not out, as 14 wickets fell overall on a day when hitting seemed much more difficult than 24 hours earlier when the 140 unbeaten of Sir Alastair Cook had guided Essex to his night. 299-3 total.
In fact, Essex themselves lost their last seven wickets by adding just 140 races in three hours of hard work, with Cook fifth out with a magnificent 165, his highest score in first class at The Oval.
But Surrey’s response then got off to a bad start with the two starters, Cameron Steel and Ryan Patel, looking for ducks and Ollie Pope quickly following for five as they slipped to 19-3. And it didn’t improve much as four more lots were lost before closing.
Matty Potts and Liam Trevaskis collected half a century during an unprecedented partnership in the ninth wicket as Durham gained full control against Northamptonshire on Wantage Road. Northants vs Durham scorecard
Tailenders Potts (81) and Trevaskis (77th) added 149 for the penultimate wicket – a Durham record against Northamptonshire and one less than the all-time best against any county.
His contributions, along with Scott Borthwick’s 73 and 40 odds for Graham Clark and Paul Coughlin, gave Durham a 217-run lead in the first inning, which Northamptonshire slashed to 207 during a jitter of four more under the spotlight.
Two magnificent captures of Glamorgan Captain Chris Cooke and two wickets on three roulette balls Andrew Salter stopped Gloucestershire storming a towering second day total at Sophia Gardens. Glamorgan vs Gloucs scorecard
Cooke dived fully to catch a catch with his left hand and then took another similarly with his right to eliminate Miles Hammond (34) and then Tom Lace (12) from closers Michael Hogan and David Lloyd.
Responding to Glamorgan’s 309 total innings, Gloucestershire came in at 224-4.
Centuries of Hassan Azad and Lewis Hill posed Leicestershirehopes of ending his county championship home campaign on a winning note against Sussex. Leics vs Sussex scorecard
