Kerrigan inspires Lancashire win

Resurgent spinner Simon Kerrigan produced a superb final afternoon spell to lead Lancashire to an innings and 94-run victory over Hampshire in the Specsavers County Championship clash at Old Trafford.
Kerrigan - rejuvenatedKerrigan - rejuvenated
Kerrigan - rejuvenated

Resuming at the start of play on 76 for two, the visitors’ dogged determination before lunch gave them hope of securing an unlikely draw despite the loss of skipper James Vince for 47 and Liam Dawson for 18 as they reached the interval on 151 for four.

But Kerrigan finished with figures of five for 59 as Hampshire were dismissed for 253, losing their last five wickets for just 45 runs.

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ith play starting on time despite the overnight rain, Vince and Will Smith faced a tough examination early on from James Anderson and Kyle Jarvis and it was England Test hopeful Vince who blinked first.

Having driven the previous ball beautifully back past the bowler for four, the right-hander looked to play a similar shot from Anderson’s next full pitched delivery but seemed to check himself as he realised it was a slower ball and popped an easy chance to Neil Wagner at short cover.

Dawson joined Smith at the crease where the new challenge came from a rejuvenated Kerrigan who gave little away before forcing Dawson to edge a regulation catch to Steven Croft at slip.

After lunch the game was still very much in the balance until Lancashire took the new ball and Jarvis got a wicked delivery to nip back to Smith who was trapped lbw on his crease for a 203-ball 45.

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From then on it became the Kerrigan show as the slow left-armer found his rhythm to devastating effect.

Adam Wheater saw a quicker delivery cannon against his back leg and departed for 47 to leave the score 208 for six.

Just 16 balls later and it was Ryan McClaren’s turn to trudge back to the dressing room after edging a chance to the tumbling Anderson at second slip for 15.

By now the end seemed nigh for Hampshire and the arrival of Tino Best did little to change that impression despite the Barbadian getting off the mark with a six off Kerrigan.

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Moments later Best became Liam Livingstone’s maiden first-class wicket when the part-time leg-spinner had him lbw not adding to his single scoring shot.

With a first five-for in Division One on offer since his remarkable 9-51 against Hampshire in Lancashire’s Championship year of 2011, Kerrigan did not disappoint, having Gareth Andrew caught at short-leg by Haseeb Hameed for 21, before Mason Crane top-edged a sweep to Livingstone at leg-slip for three.