Lancashire v Warwickshire: Match Report

• 18/04/2010
• Match Reports

A dream debut for left-arm spinner Simon Kerrigan helps Lancashire to a 121-run win over Warwickshire in the LV= County Championship match at Old Trafford.

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Warwickshire v Lancashire, Old Trafford, April 15-18 2010

Lancashire (21 points) beat Warwickshire (5 points) by 121 runs

After inviting the home side to bat, Ian Westwood’s wildest dreams were more than exceeded as Woakes and Carter reduced Lancashire to 14-4 until Prince and Croft put a brake on the slide with a stand of 133.

Jonathan Trott removed Sutton and Anderson before the innings finally closed on 253, leaving Chapple unbeaten on 54*.

There was sufficient time remaining for Lancashire to further improve their position when Chopra was beaten for pace by Anderson.

The second day seemed almost “déjà vu” as Lancashire quickly removed three Warwickshire batsmen in the first five overs to leave the Bears reeling on 28-4.

Again, as in Lancashire’s innings on the opening day, the fifth wicket pair dug-in and this time it was Bell and Troughton who took the Bears to lunch without further loss.

After lunch Troughton retired with a migraine, and in the next over Bell gave Simon Kerrigan, making his Lancashire debut, a first wicket.

With several batsmen getting in but failing to progress, there was just time for Warwickshire to establish a one run lead before being bowled out for 254.

Lancashire went to stumps on 84-2, while again four wickets fell on the third morning, with Carter striking three times, but after lunch Croft threatened to take the match away, until top edging Carter.

Imran and Naqaash’s wickets then reduced Lancashire to 242-9, before a last wicket partnership of seventy-seven between Chapple and Mahmood swung the advantage firmly back towards the home side.

Chopra, Bell and Trott all went lbw before the close with 267 still needed and three wickets in his first four overs saw Kerrigan, destroy any lingering hopes the Bears held of chasing down the competitive total set by Lancashire for victory as wickets fell frequently in the first hour, but to spin rather than seam on this occasion.

Troughton was first to go, from a skied shot in Kerrigan’s first over of the day and the young spinner followed up with Clarke, Ambrose and Woakes’ wickets in quick succession.

After Carter fell to Smith, the young debutant collected his fifth wicket of the innings when Naqaash was lbw and only a last wicket stand of sixty three delayed the inevitable before Imran fell to a short delivery from Mahmood, leaving Ian Westwood unbeaten on eighty two having carried his bat as the Bears slipped to their second defeat of the season.