Win Projections to be updated soon
Luke Wells scored 130 runs in Lancashire’s 398-run second innings from yesterday’s play, but Archie Vaughan hit back with 68 to offer his team a chance to mount what would be the biggest fourth-inning run chase against Lancashire.
Somerset concluded the third day of play at Emirates Old Trafford on 204 for 6, still 189 runs short of their objective. Somerset needed 393 to overcome Lancashire and maintain their hopes of earning their first Vitality County Championship title.
If Somerset is successful in their now extremely unlikely mission, they will fight Surrey till the last week of the season. If Nottinghamshire were to defeat Warwickshire, who would also require five points from that game, and take ten points from their last home game, Lancashire would be relegated, and they will play Division Two cricket next season whatever of their own results.
After tea, George Balderson removed both Vaughan and Tom Kohler-Cadmore, severely undermining those prospects, but it appeared like James Rew and Kacey Aldridge would make sure Somerset didn’t lose any more. Unfortunately, with just four balls remaining in the day’s play, Matty Hurst caught Aldridge off Luke Wells for 19.
Lancashire made precisely 100 runs in a slightly longer morning session despite losing their final three wickets. After adding just 36 runs to their side’s overnight total of 298 for 7, Wells and George Balderson went about their work cautiously in the opening hour.
Luke Wells, however, reached his second century of the season with a well-executed three to third man off Aldridge.
He batted with such ease that it left one wondering why he had battled for so much of the season after facing 196 balls and hitting 12 fours and a six.
Before Wells was dismissed for 130 after trying to reverse-sweep Jack Leach, he and Balderson had increased their partnership to 135, creating a new eighth-wicket partnership for Lancashire versus Somerset.
Balderson was bowled by Brett Randell for 47 runs, and the innings finished when Bailey was dismissed leg before Leach for a single. Randell took 3 for 71, while Leach finished with 3 for 57.
Andy Umeed mishandled the second ball from Bailey, attempted to drive it through the covers, and had his off stump removed from the ground as Somerset’s chase of 393 got underway.
However, Vaughan and Tom Lammonby shared a brilliant 105-run partnership for the second wicket after that miscalculation. Lammonby’s stand was only broken when he shot over the top of a full-length delivery from Wells and was bowled for 49.
Despite Vaughan reaching his first-class fifty off 84 balls by that point, Somerset’s afternoon session ended tragically when Tom Abell was dismissed for five by Anderson Phillip leg before wicket.
Nine overs into the evening session, Vaughan was caught at slip by George Bell for 68, leaving his side on 146 for 4. Tom Kohler-Cadmore struck 23 before edging a lifter to slip, and both players were removed by the same combination.
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But Aldridge and Rew held off Lancashire’s attack well in the game’s opening dismal conditions until Wells delivered the game’s winning punch. In 14 overs, Balderson has taken 2 for 33 thus far.
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