County Championship 2024 – Tom Westley underpins Essex as Lancashire face uphill combat

Lancashire 146 and 10 for 1 path Essex 377 (Westley 81, Elgar 79) by way of 221 runs

The Essex captain chalked up 1,130 runs remaining season however had contributed simply 56 in 4 innings this time round. Alternatively, his fluent 81 from 138 balls signalled a private go back to shape and helped Essex assemble a 231 first-innings lead towards ill Lancashire. By way of shut of play Lancashire had misplaced captain Keaton Jennings whilst crawling to 10-1 in 10 night time overs as they battled to steer clear of an innings defeat.

In a throwback to previous occasions, there was once a Prepare dinner scoring runs close to the highest of the Essex order, regardless that this was once the not going figures of Sam slightly than Sir Alastair. The nightwatchman hung round for almost two and a half of hours and 126 balls for a absolute best firstclass rating that marooned him one run wanting a maiden fifty.

Essex had overhauled Lancashire’s first-innings general inside of 36 overs for the lack of the in a single day wicket of Feroze Khushi, who had laid the principles with a half-century at a strike-rate of 160. Elgar and Prepare dinner had been extra circumspect, regardless that their affect was once simply as demoralising for the flagging fielding facet as they placed on 120 in 36 overs.

Prepare dinner pulled George Balderson for one consummate boundary whilst Elgar additionally pulled Balderson to the ropes and adopted subsequent ball with an angled drift to 3rd guy for every other of his 10 fours.

Lancashire didn’t lend a hand themselves when simply after he had introduced up the century partnership in 187 balls, Prepare dinner was once brought to 3rd slip by way of George Bell on 44. He went to lunch on 49 and was once again within the pavilion promptly afterwards, stuck first ball at slip misdriving outdoor off-stump towards Balderson.

Elgar handed 17,000 firstclass profession runs all the way through his three-and-three-quarter-hour keep, however was once ultimately out stuck at the back of when wafting at Will Williams on 79, his 3rd 50-plus rating in 5 innings for his new county.

There was once no let-up with Elgar’s departure. Westley and Jordan Cox settled into a gentle rhythm, Westley characteristically robust off his legs and Cox serving to on its option to the boundary a Lyon ball that drifted down legside.

Their partnership was once price 57 when Cox dragged Jack Blatherwick tamely to brief midwicket. Matt Critchley, centurion towards Kent remaining week, got here and went temporarily, Lyon discovering one to show sharply and catch the angled bat on its method into slip’s fingers.

The advent of Luke Wells’s spin simply earlier than tea led to a flurry of scoring, his simplest over within the spell conceding 17 runs. Westley whipped a supply throughout the covers to achieve his fifty after which Michael Pepper two times lofted over long-on for a mixed general of 10 runs.

Pepper handled Bailey and the brand new ball with equivalent distain, hooking a six to high-quality leg after which using via midwicket alongside the bottom. However he performed down the improper line to Williams within the subsequent over and was once stuck within the slips for 30 from 31 balls.

Noah Thain performed attractively on his firstclass debut for twenty-four from 50 balls earlier than being undone by way of person who saved low from Balderson and disturbed his center and stale stumps. 4 overs later, Westley was once additionally the sufferer of every other low supply from Lyon that beat his mistimed graceful and hit his sticking out entrance pad.

The innings was once wrapped up within the house of 8 balls when Wells trapped each Shane Snater and Simon Harmer.

Lancashire’s answer faltered when Jennings, a century-maker towards Hampshire remaining week, went for his 2d single-figure rating within the fit, lbw misjudging a supply from Jamie Porter. Nightwatchman Williams would possibly have long past first ball however Harmer put down a regimen likelihood at 2d slip.