LANCASHIRE fought back in the final session of the first day of the Roses match at Old Trafford as they took six wickets to edge the day against Yorkshire on day 1.
Both teams were returning to Championship cricket after a month of playing t20. Yorkshire who dominated the first two sessions ended the day on 379 for eight. Jacques Rudolph Yorkshire’s captain in place of Andrew Gale, who is on England Lions duty, won the toss and decided to bat. With Adam Lyth, he put 166 on for the first wicket, with Lyth scoring 100 of them. In the 10th over after lunch, Lyth jumped with delight when he glanced Glenn Chapple off his legs to bring up his third century of the season. It came in 153 minutes with 12 fours off 122 balls. However two balls later he tried to repeat the shot but he was caught down the legside by Luke Sutton of Tom Smith for 100, his highest score against Lancashire and 47 runs short of a 1000 runs for the season. Lyth, had a life on 53 thin when the left hander edged Simon Kerrigan and the ball ballooned of Sutton’s pads and out of the reach of a despairing dive of Paul Horton at slip.
Rudolph’s innings ended when he fenced at one from Daren Powell and Smith took the catch at second slip. His 83 came from 153 balls with 13 fours in 214 minutes. With Anthony McGrath the pair had put on 54 in 11 overs.
Smith ended the third wicket partnership of 79 in 21 overs between Jonny Bairstow and McGrath when he got one to rear up at Bairstow, who got a leading edge and the ball flew to former Tyke Simon Katich, who is playing his first and last county championship match of the season for Lancashire, at extra cover. Bairstow hit nine fours in his 47 from 64 balls.
McGrath played a faultless innings but on 61 he tried to cut Powell but the ball was too close to him and he chopped it on to his stumps.
Lancashire skipper Chapple got one to cut back at Gerard Brophy, playing his first championship match of the season, and the stumper was leg before for 35. His next victim was Adil Rashid. He cut Chapple straight to Croft at point who leapt and stuck out his right hand and caught the ball. Two overs later Azeem Rafiq nibbled at one from Chapple and Sutton took the catch. Chapple had taken three wickets for 10 in 18 balls. Next to go was Tino Best who tried to turn the ball to leg but it the shoulder of the bat and Chapple took the easy return catch.
KYLE Hogg took his 100th First Class wicket for Lancashire and scored his highest score for the red Rose County on the third day of the Roses match at Old Trafford.
He came into bat with Lancashire still needing 63 to save the follow on and shared in a Roses record ninth wicket partnership at Old Trafford. With Luke Sutton the pair put on 121 in 41 overs for the ninth wicket. The partnership was broken when Hogg 12 short of his century mistimed a cut of Adil Rashid and was caught at extra cover by Richard Pyrah. Hogg brought up his first 50 of the season with a square cut of Oliver Hannon-Dalby after he had faced 84 balls in 92 minutes. Later, he belted Jacques Rudolph through extra cover to bring up his best score for Lancashire.
Lancashire started the third day needing another 111 to avoid following on with four wickets standing. They lost their first wicket of the day in the third over of the morning session after adding only seven to their overnight score of 187 when Tom Smith gave Tino Best a low return catch.
Nine overs later skipper Glenn Chapple perished when he gave Azeem Rafiq the charge. It was a ploy that had worked well for him as he hit three fours in his 21 from 34 balls. With Sutton they added 41 in nine overs. He was caught by Steve Patterson took a steepling catch at deep mid off.
Lancashire saved the follow on when Sutton stroked Rafiq for a delightful four through the covers for only his second four in 121 balls, two balls later he hit another four.
Four balls after Hogg was dismissed the innings was wrapped up when Daren Powell was caught by Adam Lyth at short leg off Rashid for two and Lancashire were all out for 358, 89 behind Yorkshire. Sutton was unbeaten on 47 from 154 balls with three fours.
For the Tykes, Rashid took five wickets for 90, his first five wicket haul of the season and Rafiq took four for 92.
Yorkshire lost their first wicket in the second innings in the fourth over when Rudolph flashed at a wide one from Powell and was caught behind by Sutton for four.
Lyth had a life on 13 when he pulled Powell through mid on through the outstretched hands of Simon Kerrigan. Powell then beat Lyth outside the off stump with his next two balls.
In the last over before tea McGrath on one edged Chapple but the ball fell short of Smith at second slip. Yorkshire lost their second wicket in the 10th over after tea when Lyth pulled Hogg straight to Moore at fine leg for 29, still 18 short of 1000 championship runs for the season.
Jonny Bairstow was the next to go on 11 when he mistimed a drive off Kerrigan and the ball ballooned up and Smith took the catch at point.
In the last over of the day Gerard Brophy was dropped by Smith at mid on, off Stephen Croft on four. Yorkshire ended the day on 111 for three with a lead of 200 with McGrath unbeaten on 50 and Brophy six not out
