Lancashire take title race to the crucial last day (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Lancashire take title race to the crucial last day

9:51am Thursday 15th September 2011 in Lancashire CCC

KYLE Hogg hit a priceless 46 and claimed his 50th first-class wicket of the season as Lancashire fought hard to keep their title hopes alive on the third day of the County Championship match with Somerset at Taunton.

Starting the day on 247 for three in reply to 380, the visitors had progressed to 331 for six when Hogg went in and still needed a further 69 for maximum batting bonus points.

His 61-ball innings got them there with just three balls to spare and they went on to score 480, every player contributing a double-figure score.

Murali Kartik claimed five for 137 from 45.2 overs.

Hogg then dismissed Alex Barrow and Chris Jones as Somerset slid to 25 for three before James Hildreth (39) and Jos Buttler (27) added 67.

They closed on 105 for five, just five runs ahead, and if Lancashire complete victory today then Warwickshire will have to beat Hampshire to claim the title.

Hampshire are 43 for 3 in their second innings in that match, after Warwickshire held a first-innings lead of 169.

Lancashire had added 25 to their overnight score when Luke Procter was caught at slip by Peter Trego for 29. Kartik was the successful bowler and had all four wickets at that point.

Steven Croft (54) and Tom Smith (28) added a further 53 before Smith was lbw to Alfonso Thomas looking to attack. Six runs later Croft fell to Steve Kirby, having faced 98 balls and hit 6 fours and a six.

When Gareth Cross was caught at extra cover off Thomas for 20 Lancashire were still 29 short of the 400 they needed for a fifth batting point with overs running out. As tension grew Hogg, on 29, survived a catch to James Hildreth in the deep, which the fielder misjudged and allowed to go over his head for four, Kartik being the unlucky bowler.

Then, with three required in the 110th over, the last in which bonus points can be obtained, Glen Chapple was dropped by Steve Kirby, top-edging a hook off Thomas.

Two runs were taken and the next delivery brought a single to take the score to 400.

Lancashire’s next task was to build a meaningful first-innings lead. Gemaal Hussain removed Hogg and Chapple (23), but a last-wicket stand of 57 between Simon Kerrigan, who made a career-best 40 and Gary Keedy (13 not out) extended the advantage to 100 before Kerrigan was stumped to give Kartik his fifth wicket.

All the momentum was with Lancashire as Chapple, who had limped through the game with a hamstring problem, dismissed Arul Suppiah lbw and Hogg sent back youngsters Barrow and Jones. Hildreth was then stumped and Buttler caught off a sharply turning ball from Kerrigan.