Lancashire ease to victory
James Anderson blitzed his way through the Durham batting line-up to bowl Lancashire to victory on the third morning of their LV County Championship clash at Old Trafford and put himself firmly in the frame for the first Test against New Zealand.
Another man hoping to get the nod to take on the tourists at Lord’s, all-rounder Andrew Flintoff, reduced the visitors to 28 for three and Anderson took over with a devastating spell on the third morning.
He finished with 5-46, taking all of his wickets for the cost of just 25 runs in the morning session, to seal a Lancashire victory by 232 runs.
Durham made just 90 all out in the fourth innings of a game where ball has dominated bat to such an extent that – Paul Horton’s match-winning 108 aside – the top individual score was 40.
Elsewhere in Division One, Marcus Trescothick and Justin Langer batted Somerset into a commanding position with big hundreds against Hampshire at Taunton.
The pair built on Thursday’s solid start as they wiped out their side’s 233-run first-innings deficit and helped them to 559 for five at the close, a lead of 326.
Captain Langer top-scored with 188 from 271 balls while Trescothick added 151 from 265, the pair putting on 272 in the club’s highest second-wicket stand for 84 years.
Zander de Bruyn was unbeaten on 75 at stumps as Somerset continued their remarkable turnaround.
Kent were 115 short of a first win with six wickets in hand having been set a target of 244 to beat early leaders Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge.
South African Ryan McLaren took 6-75 as Notts were bowled out for 279 in their second innings after 88 from Chris Read.
Kent wobbled in their chase as Stuart Broad picked up 3-27 but Martin van Jaarsveld’s 45 not out helped them to 129 for four.
In Division Two, Middlesex recovered from 29 for four in their second innings to post 203 and set Essex a target of 299 at Chelmsford.
Wicketkeeper David Nash made a crucial unbeaten 50 with number nine Tim Murtagh adding 42.
Jason Gallian (40) and Alastair Cook (31) put on 70 to get the chase off to a fine start but 3-20 from Shaun Udal left the game in the balance with the hosts 123 for five at the close.
Derbyshire batted throughout the day at the County Ground to build a lead of 283 over Warwickshire.
Half-centuries from captain Rikki Clarke (81), Freddie Klokker (76no) and Chris Rogers 64 put the hosts in a strong position on 323 for five in their second innings.
Chris Read drives on his way to 88 for Notts against Kent
