Ashwell Prince smashed a superb double hundred to put Lancashire in command in their English County Championship match against Yorkshire on Tuesday.
He and Alviro Petersen hauled Lancashire out of trouble at 18-2 after Derbyshire ran up 370 in their first innings at Stockport, Lancs. They added 258 before Petersen fell for 113. But Prince, 156 overnight, went on to 230, at which point he was caught off the bowling of leg-spinner Matt Critchley, a bitter-sweet reward after being severely punished by Petersen and Prince the day before.
Prince added 81 with Arron Lilley for the seventh wicket, in the process taking his season’s total to 771 from nine innings at an average of 96.37.
‘We felt anything over 500 in our first innings would have been a bonus. But when we started the day that was a long way away so we needed another couple of partnerships.’ said Prince.
‘It was a good pitch for batting. Once you get past the new ball there is runs out there. I think as a batsman, every time you walk out there it is an opportunity for you to do something. You look at the scoreboard and add another two wickets onto your total and that’s when you realise you could be in a bit of trouble.’
Lancashire were finally dismissed for 551, a lead of 181. By the close, Derbyshire were struggling at 123-3, with Hashim Amla (0) coming in four balls from the close, alongside the nightwatchman, Tom Taylor (0).
Amla has much work to do.
Keaton Jennings and Michael Richardson had a busy day in Worcester, where Durham looked dead and buried after being bowled out for 198 in reply to Worcs’ 323.
But Richardson, cut from the same cloth as his dad, Dave, ‘keeper for Eastern Province and the Proteas (42 Tests), took four catches behind the stumps to help close Worcestershire down for 192.
Jennings, to atone for his first-innings score of 12, then anchored the top order, scoring 61 off 135 balls. He was caught behind with the score on 174-3. Paul Collingwood (111) got good support from Richardson (42) to end the day at 270-3, needing just 48 runs for victory.
In Taunton, the match is interestingly poised, with Yorkshire leading by 124 with five wickets in hand. Johann Myburgh had contributed 41 to Somerset’s 485, which gave them a 47-run lead. He then weighed in with one wicket from his nine overs as Yorkshire struggled to 171-5.
Compiled by Mark Salter
