Northamptonshire ended up the wrong side of an excellent game of cricket as Lancashire took the points at Wantage Road.
The visitors had started the day needing 86 more runs with five wickets in hand. Josh Bohannon fell early, shortly after reaching his century, a wicket that could have opened the door for the home side, but Washington and Williams (29 not out) kept their cool to inch towards their target.
Northamptonshire, who had taken a late flurry of wickets the previous night were bubbly and confident when they took the field and buoyed further when Jack White, who skittled Lancashire in their first innings, removed Bohannon early. It was to be their only breakthrough of the morning though as Washington and Williams continued to frustrate their efforts.
Bohannon, 92 overnight, was expected to be the key man if Lancashire were to achieve victory. His knock had helped keep Lancashire in the hunt as wickets fell on day three and he moved to his century off 166 balls when he miscued Jack White aerially past a diving Emilio Gay at short midwicket. His reprieve was short lived though as he fell to White’s next ball thanks to a stunning low catch at wide gully by skipper Will Young. It left Lancashire on 209 for six still needing 69 to win.
The dependable Sanderson, who claimed three wickets the previous evening, challenged the batters as his radar started to fire, backed up well by White and Tom Taylor.
Young continued to rotate his bowlers against a watchful Washington and Williams who weren’t without fortune in their innings, a number of close shouts and near misses going the way of the visitors as they found their way to the target shortly before lunch.