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County Championship Division One: Lancashire bowl out Somerset to cap comeback

Monday 24 April 2017 18:47, UK

LONDON, ENGLAND - APRIL 16: Alex Davies and Saqib Mahmood celebrate with their teammates after running out Alex Davies of Surrey during day three of the S
Image: Lancashire earned a first County Championship win of the season by beating Somerset

Lancashire capped a fine comeback win over Somerset on day four of their Specsavers County Championship clash at Old Trafford, bowling their visitors out for 130.

Lancashire - who were skittled themselves for just 109 on the opening morning - set Somerset a steep target of 295 to win on the final day after being bowled out for 463 in their second innings.

Ryan McLaren (4-37), Jordan Clark (3-12) and England's James Anderson (2-30) then did the bulk of the damage as Somerset were bundled out inside 47.5 overs - James Hildreth (43) and Marcus Trescothick (36) providing the only resistance.

Gary Ballance compiled his highest County Championship score, a stunning double-century that salvaged Yorkshire a draw against Hampshire at the Ageas Bowl.

ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES - MARCH 20: Gary Ballance of Yorkshire bats during day one of the Champion County match between Marylebone Cricket Club a
Image: Gary Ballance struck a stunning double-century for Yorkshire against Hampshire

Captain Ballance totted up an unbeaten 203 - bettering his previous best of 174 and continuing a fine start to the season after already notching scores of 120 and 55 against Hants in the season-opener and 108 in the first innings.

Despite all that, Yorkshire were starring down a second defeat against their opponents when beginning the day 178-3, still 46 behind, after following on before Ballance's stoic efforts saved the day.

Essex escaped with a final-day draw against Middlesex at Lord's, with play ending early due to bad light with the home side needing only two more wickets for victory.

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SCARBOROUGH, ENGLAND - JULY 03: Toby Roland-Jones of Middlesex bowls during day one of the Specsavers County Championship division one match between Yorks
Image: Toby Roland-Jones took three wickets for Middlesex but it wasn't enough to earn victory over Essex

Toby Roland-Jones took 3-42 for Middlesex to help reduce Essex to 180-8 in their second innings after having set them a practically impossible 452 to win.

Earlier, Nick Gubbins (64), Sam Robson (77) and Stevie Eskinazi (62) followed up their first-innings hundreds with half-centuries for the hosts as Middlesex declared on 239-3.

Warwickshire earned a draw on day four of their game against Surrey at Edgbaston, despite having been precariously placed at the start of play.

Warwickshire batsman Keith Barker hits out during his century
Image: All-rounder Keith Barker hit an unbeaten 70 as Warwickshire earned a final-day draw

Warwickshire began the final morning on 162-4, leading by only 57 runs, but half-centuries from Ian Bell, Tim Ambrose and Keith Barker helped them hang on for share of the spoils.

Bell fell one short of a century on 99, while Ambrose notched 85 and Barker an unbeaten 70 as Warwickshire 435-8 when the match was called to an early close.

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