A spirited final innings effort by Northamptonshire wasn’t enough as Lancashire held on for a draw on Day 4.
Beginning the day with a lead of 341, Northamptonshire pressed on with the bat to ensure only two possible results remained on the table. In a five over stint, Northamptonshire added 49 to the total thanks largely to a powerful cameo from Matt Coles. After the early losses of Hutton and Procter, Coles hammered two sixes in 10 ball 23 before he was bowled by Parry looking for a third. Ben Sanderson too cleared the ropes with what would be the final ball of the innings, Adam Rossington declaring with the lead 391 and 89 overs left in the day.
Lancashire started watchfully and batted 14 overs before Northamptonshire found the first of ten wickets they needed. Matt Coles striking Jennings on the front boot with his first delivery, the opener gone for 20. 8 overs later and Northamptonshire had another, first innings centurion Davies trapped in front by Ben Sanderson for 53. Lancashire continued to battle, Ben Sanderson looking consistently threatening in a testing spell to Hameed. Despite a number of close calls for Hameed, Jones was the next man to go when Hutton had him bang in front for 11.
Hameed went past 50 before Keogh had his first, finding sharp turn from the Lynn Wilson end to hit off stump, Hameed not offering a shot. That was all the joy there’d be for Northamptonshire though, despite battling away Lancashire held on through Villas and Bohannon. The new ball was taken immediately with 9 overs left in the day, after 3 overs failed to find the breakthrough they needed though the captains shook hands to give Northamptonshire a healthy draw. 12 points from this fixture sees Northamptonshire remain mid table and sets up a crucial, pre-Blast game away to Derbyshire on Sunday.
Northamptonshire 442 (Bavuma 103, Vasconcelos 77) & 263/9d (Keogh 74, Newton 48)
Lancashire 314 (Sanderson 4/62, Keogh 3/43) & 275/4 (Hutton 1/43, Coles 1/46).