Spinners, Jennings carve out strong Lancashire position but rain looms

Lancashire 327 and 182 for six (Jennings 64*) lead Warwickshire 212 (Rhodes 82) by 297 runs

Lancashire had been hoping for type climate on the final day of their LV=Insurance coverage County Championship match with Warwickshire after they took cost on the third day at Edgbaston.

On a gradual pitch which has by no means been straightforward for batting, the guests had been poised to place Warwickshire below stress on the ultimate day however want the grim climate forecast to be mistaken. The darkish clouds ever current at Edgbaston this week stay prone to have the ultimate say.

That will be irritating for Jennings’ facet who lastly compelled the match ahead in its seventh session after the previous six had superior at varied levels of gradual. After Warwickshire resumed on the third day on 179 for five, the Purple Rose deployed their spinners, partly as a result of the sunshine was so poor, and it proved a extremely productive transfer because the final 5 wickets fell for 29 runs in 88 balls.

The catalyst for the collapse was an indiscrete reverse-sweep by Dan Mousley (47 off 97 balls) straight to slide off Jack Morley. The left-arm spinner adopted that by having Michael Burgess adjudged caught at leg slip earlier than Luke Wells eliminated Danny Briggs, caught off the face of the bat at quick leg.

Warwickshire squandered their final two wickets as Olly Hannon-Dalby was run out pursuing a single that did not exist and Chris Rushworth, batting with a runner as a result of a hamstring harm, charged at Wells and was stumped by yards. Out of the blue, after two finely balanced days, Lancashire had seized a meaty lead 115.

Batting remained tough after they went in once more and Wells’ hitherto completely happy morning took a dive when he fell lbw to Hannon-Dalby’s third ball. Josh Bohannon got here closest to fluency in a 40-ball 25 which ended when he chipped Hannon-Dalby to substitute fielder Marques Ackerman at midwicket however Jennings dropped anchor deep, going into lunch with only a single from 42 balls.

The skipper remained entrenched all through the afternoon whereas companions got here and went. Phil Salt nicked a pull at Ed Barnard. Daryl Mitchell skied Mir Hamza to offer Ackerman his second catch. When George Bell nicked Briggs behind it was 83 for five and Warwickshire, regardless of the absence of Rushworth, had been combating again onerous.

Nonetheless the Jennings anchor remained and first-innings century-maker George Balderson settled alongside him to reassert the Purple Rose. Jennings posted a 163-ball half-century in a partnership of 92 in 26 overs which regarded able to develop a lot additional till Balderson self-destructed. He set off for a single when his drive was parried by bowler Briggs and, rightly despatched again by Jennings, was crushed by Sam Hain’s throw from additional cowl.

With the lead approaching 300, Lancashire had simply began to hunt acceleration when rain arrived to lop off the final 20 overs. That misplaced time, with most likely extra to observe, is prone to thwart the Purple Rose victory bid.