Northamptonshire’s desire to win promotion and their capability to do so was plain after they had totally dominated the third day of their Rothesay County Championship match at Emirates Old Trafford.
After dismissing Lancashire for 137 in a dramatic opening session, the visitors piled up 298 for four declared in 64 overs, with Ricardo Vasconcelos making 100, his fourth century of the season, and Saif Zaib 55 not out.
Needing a notional 446 to win, Lancashire ended the day on 24 for two after losing both Keaton Jennings and Marcus Harris in the final 11 overs of the day.
The morning session belonged entirely to Northamptonshire’s bowlers, who took the last eight Lancashire wickets for 57 runs in a shade less than 90 minutes’ cricket. Jennings was the first to go in the fifth over of the day when he edged a good ball from Liam Guthrie and was caught by substitute Louis Kimber at third slip for 37.
Having played some pleasant strokes to reach 37, Arav Shetty was leg-before to Ben Sanderson but Shetty was then the first of five wickets to fall for 11 runs. Joe Moores was bowled by leg-spinner Yuzi Chahal for one, Rocky Flintoff was lbw to Sanderson for 13 and debutant Ben Walkden nicked his first ball in Championship cricket to Kimber at slip.
When Noman Ali was leg before to Guthrie for a single and Tom Bailey caught at slip second ball for four, it seemed possible that Lancashire would not reach the follow-on target of 135 but Mitch Stanley saved that indignity with a six before he was leg-before to Chahal for 15. Sanderson finished the innings with 4-39 and Guthrie took 3-51. The absence of James Sales, who had injured himself in the warm-ups, was barely noticed.
After lunch, the Northamptonshire openers, Ricardo Vasconcelos and Luke Procter deepened home spectators’ gloom by putting on 121 for their side’s first wicket. Procter was dropped on 39 by Marcus Harris at first slip off Shetty but was leg-before to Tom Bailey for 46 on the stroke of tea.
Having reached his half-century off 48 balls with eight fours and a six,Vasconcelos notched his fourth century of the season off 126 balls with a single off Shetty. He has been one of many stars in what is turning into a memorable season for a county that has never won the premier red-ball competition in the world.
As Northamptonshire pushed on towards a declaration, the evening session also brought some success for Lancashire’s bowlers. Calvin Harrison was caught at midwicket by Shetty off Noman Ali for 29 and the same bowler also dismissed Vasconcelos, who was caught at midwicket by Josh Bohannon five balls after reaching his century for exactly 100. Nathan McSweeney was bowled for 29 when attempting a wild swipe at Walkden but the declaration did not come until 7.5 overs later when Saif Zaib was on 55 not out and George Bartlett was unbeaten on 32.
Left with eleven overs to survive before the close, Lancashire lost Jennings for nought when he edged Sanderson to Zaib at fourth slip and the fielder parried the sharp catch before Kimber swooped to take it. Five overs later, the home side’s miserable day was complete when Harris went back to Chahal and was lbw for 10.
Photo Credit: Luke Adams