County Championship: James Anderson takes five-wicket haul to put Lancashire on top against Northamptonshire
Former England seamer James Anderson takes five wickets in Lancashire's County Championship game versus Northamptonshire; Sussex captain Ollie Robinson bags five-for against Leicestershire; Derbyshire's Martin Andersson hits double hundred in clash with Worcestershire
Saturday 4 April 2026 20:30, UK
James Anderson rolled back the years with a five-wicket haul as Lancashire ended the second day of their opening County Championship match against Northamptonshire in a commanding position.
England's all-time leading wicket-taker, Lancashire's captain in Division Two this season at the age of 43, finished with 5-64 while Tom Bailey took 3-46 to restrict Northants to 215-9, 169 runs behind.
Lancashire had earlier been bowled out for 384 after resuming at the County Ground in Northampton on 346-7.
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Division Two rivals Derbyshire declared on 625-8 against Worcestershire after a first career double ton for Martin Andersson and Luis Reece's 114.
Andersson, on 134 overnight, made 228 and extended his fifth-wicket partnership with Reece to 273 before Worcestershire reached 113-2 in reply at Derby, with opener Dan Lategan 77 not out.
Middlesex's Leus du Plooy, 98 overnight, went on to make 182 bit wicketkeeper Joe Cracknell fell three short of his century as his the home side declared on 445-9 at Lord's against Gloucestershire.
The visitors closed on 116-4 in reply, trailing by 329 runs, with Miles Hammond unbeaten on 59.
Durham pair Ben McKinney (27 not out) and David Bedingham (32 not out) took their side to 83-2 in their second innings against Kent for a 221-run lead.
Kent were bowled out for 197 in reply to Durham's 335 all out, with Matthew Potts and Kemar Roach taking three wickets apiece.
In Division One, reigning champions Nottinghamshire trail Somerset by 129 runs with seven wickets remaining at Taunton.
Somerset added only 55 to their overnight score of 292-6 and after Notts lost their first three wickets for 128 in reply, Joe Clarke (70 not out) and Jack Haynes (53 not out) lifted them to 218-3
Warwickshire pair Dan Mousley (112 not out) and Sam Hain (80 not out) shared an unbeaten 178-run third-wicket partnership to take their side to 330-2 against Surrey at the close, for a two-run lead with eight wickets in hand.
Glamorgan's Colin Ingram made 103 as his side were bowled out for 302 in a rain-affected match in Cardiff against Yorkshire, who are 1-0 in reply.
Essex's Matt Critchley struck a masterful 178 and shared in a 186-run partnership with Charlie Allison (80), while Simon Harmer made an unbeaten 71 as visitors declared on 461-7 at the Utilita Bowl, where Hampshire stuttered to 48-3 in reply.
Sussex lead Leicestershire by 265 runs with seven wickets remaining after reaching 148-3 in their second innings at Grace Road.
The hosts were skittled all out for 245 - Ollie Robinson took 5-33 - in reply to Sussex's first-innings 361.
