Specsavers County Championship Division Two, Emirates Old Trafford (day one):
Lancashire: 29-1: Jennings 16*; Sanderson 1-9
Northamptonshire 230: Wood 66; Gleeson 5-63
Lancashire (3 pts) trail Northamptonshire (1 pt) by 201 runs
A five-wicket haul for Richard Gleeson put Lancashire in the ascendancy on the opening day of their Specsavers County Championship match against Northamptonshire at Emirates Old Trafford.
The 31-year-old pace bowler claimed figures of five for 63 as the visitors were dismissed for 230 in the evening session.
With Northamptonshire being inserted at the toss, Gleeson removed four of the visitors’ top five – a top-order of which no one made more than 39.
He bowled accurately against his former club, regularly asking questions of the batsmen and was supported well by Graham Onions who took four wickets in the innings – including that of South African batsman Temba Bavuma (39).
Luke Wood offered some resistance, top-scoring at number eight with a sensible 66 off 112 balls as he tried to hold the Northamptonshire innings together.
Former Lancashire all-rounder Luke Proctor (48) fell two short of a half-century. If he had gone on to make 50, that would have been his first against the Red Rose since leaving Old Trafford in 2017.
Following the dismissal of Wood, Lancashire set about their reply. Keaton Jennings and Haseeb Hameed looked to dig deep and battle through a tricky passage of play.
Jennings, who will be looking to be a part of England’s Ashes squad come the first Test at Edgbaston in July, played steadily in the closing overs – finishing 16 not out.
His opening partner Hameed (7) fell with less than five overs remaining in the day having pushed forward at a Ben Sanderson delivery and Ricardo Vasconcelos pouched behind.
This brought Australian Joe Burns to the middle on his debut. He finished the day on six not out.
The pair will be looking to build a partnership and apply further pressure when they resume in the morning.
WHAT THEY SAID
After his stellar bowling performance, Richard Gleeson said: “It’s always nice to pick up a first five-fer for your club and I’m really pleased having been out with a few injuries.
“You always want to have the ball in your hand a get that first wicket at the start of the season.” he added.
Photo credit: Lancashire Cricket
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