Loye, Laxman save Lancashire

Laxman: rescue act

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LV County Championship - Division One
Taunton
Lancashire 344 (P J Horton 173, K W Hogg 69, C M Willoughby 5-109, B J Phillips 4-46) & 314-2 (M B Loye 151 no, V V S Laxman 113 no) v Somerset 557-8 dec (C Kieswetter 153, M E Trescothick 102, A V Suppiah 95, P D Trego 80, Z de Bruyn 71)
Somerset (12pts) drew with Lancashire (8pts)

Lancashire batted throughout the final day against Somerset at Taunton to secure a draw and ease their Division One relegation worries.

Mal Loye and VVS Laxman both made undefeated centuries as the visitors advanced their overnight position of 87-2 to 314-2 before a draw was agreed.

Lancashire earned eight points from the stalemate, enough to move them up to fifth in the table, 22 points clear of the relegation zone.

Loye resumed on the fourth morning on 23 and Laxman 16, still 126 runs short of making Somerset bat again.

Indian batsman Laxman brought up Lancashire's 100 with a boundary to deep backward square off the fifth over of the morning.

The third-wicket pair made good progress during the morning session with the only alarm coming when Laxman, on 40, was fortunate to survive a chance to the wicketkeeper off Charl Willoughby.

Somerset's acting captain Marcus Trescothick took the new ball during the afternoon session with the total on 220 - but off the third delivery Loye square-drove Willoughby (0-64) to the boundary to bring up his third century of the season, which came off 205 balls and included 11 fours.

By the time tea was taken Lancashire had moved on to 271, 58 runs ahead and the game was all but safe.

In the fourth over after the tea interval Laxman played a glorious back-foot cover drive off David Stiff (1-70) to bring up his 100, the third of the season, which he scored off 240 balls and which included 12 fours.

When Lancashire skipper Glen Chapple declared at 314-2 to bring an end to the contest, the the third-wicket partnership was worth 247 with Loye ending unbeaten on 151 and Laxman 113 not out.

Somerset's 12-point haul from the match sees them reclaim second place, one point ahead of Nottinghamshire.

Day three

Craig Kieswetter hit a career-best 153 as Somerset assumed control on day three of their match against Lancashire in Taunton.

The 21-year-old hit eight sixes and 14 fours in his 170-ball innings as his side ran up 557-8 declared.

Zander de Bruyn hit 10 fours on his way to 71 before Peter Trego arrived at the crease with a sparkling innings of 80.

Trego joined Kieswetter in a big-hitting stand of 183 which was a Somerset record for the sixth wicket against Lancashire

The former hit three sixes and eight fours before sweeping Gary Keedy to Saj Mahmood at short fine leg, with Kieswetter being caught by Francois du Plessis at backward point.

By the close Lancashire had made 87-2 in their second innings and still trailed by 126.

Day two

Marcus Trescothick struck his eighth LV County Championship century of a prolific season to put Somerset in a healthy position on the second day at Taunton.

The former England opener took his first-class run tally to 1,745 for the summer by making 102 in a total of 266-3. Arul Suppiah hit 95 as the pair produced their eighth century stand of the season.

Earlier, Lancashire had been bowled out for 344 after resuming on 297-5 as first-day centurion Paul Horton was dismissed for 175. Sabres' left-arm seamer Charl Willoughby claiming 5-109 and Ben Phillips 4-46.

It was the home side's day from the moment Kyle Hogg was caught at first slip by Trescothick off Willoughby without adding to his overnight 69. Lancashire ended their innings with the addition of only 47 runs to their overnight score in excellent batting conditions.

Trescothick, who needed a few moments of fortune and survived some close appeals en route to his big score, fell to the fourth ball after tea after being bowled by Sajid Mahmood off an inside edge while attempting to leave the ball.

Suppiah, already past 1,000 runs in his best ever season, lost nothing by comparison and had hit 16 fours and a six in his 178-ball innings when he lost his off stump to Glenn Chapple.

James Hildreth fell cheaply to Mahmood, who bowled well after tea, but Zander de Bruyn was 36 not out and Jos Buttler (13no) when stumps was called.

Day one

Paul Horton notched a first hundred of the County Championship season to hold Lancashire's innings together at Somerset.

The opener made a career-best score of 155 not out but was devoid of any serious help early on as Lancashire closed on 297-5 at Taunton.

Kyle Hogg did help out when he got to the crease, and he hit an unbeaten 69 as the two put on an unbroken stand of 144 for the sixth wicket to get the visitors back in the game.

Ben Phillips and Charl Willoughby had earlier put Somerset well on top as they shared the five wickets to fall - finally taking 3-43 and 2-88 respectively.

After an opening stand of 58, wickets tumbled quickly and after 50 overs Lancashire had slipped to 153-5 and in deep trouble, but Horton had been digging in defiantly.

Horton brought up his century from 155 balls and, after being dropped on 121, he made his 150 off 239 deliveries en route to his highest championship score - beating the 152 he had made twice, against Hampshire in 2007 and Yorkshire in 2008.

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