Lancashire crowned League Champions

Glen Chapple receives Div2 title        pic: LCCC.co.uk

Friday saw the Red Rose county back where they belong in the top flight of Cricket`s elite with a drawn match against Gloucestershire down in Bristol. Lancashire also had help off Kent, who have played a hand in Lancashire promotion and title winning exploits too in the past couple of games of the L.V Championship.

With draws against Lancs rivals Essex and then holding off 2nd placed Northamptonshire in Northampton in a rain affected game.

Lancashire needed just 12 points for the Championship as they had gained promotion against Worcestershire last week.

The visitor`s found themselves in trouble on a rain affected day 1, where only 10 over’s were bowled in the day, but Gloucestershire gave their visitors problems as they lost 2 quick wickets as they ended on 33 for 2, with Paul Horton and Ashwell Prince making ducks.

Day 2 saw better luck for Lancashire, with them mounting a comeback despite Karl Brown making just 3 runs to his overnight score, as he went for 23.

Luis Reece and Luke Protor put a few runs on the fourth wicket stand with Reece departing for 35 as Will Gidman took his 3rd wicket of the Lancashire Innings.

Luke Proctor reached his hundred for the visitors before he was trapped lbw by that man again Will Gidman, as he headed back to the changing room scoring a good knock of 106.   

Alex Davies made 12 runs before Gloucestershire`s Matthew Taylor got the Lancs man out, with Roderick taking the catch behind.

Lancashire Captain and stalwart at Old Trafford Glen Chapple was then dismissed for a 1 off Benny Howell bowling and Will Gidman taking the catch.

Tom Smith was last man out for Lancashire as he was bowled for 88 by Gidman, to give the Gloucester bowler figures of 5 for 61 as Lancashire declared looking to try and force a result in the stop-start match.

Lancashire had their hosts in trouble too, when they got to 44 for 3 with the opener`s removed for the home side.

New Zealander Hamish Marshall and Alex Gidman put on a little recover for the Gloucester Innings, till batsman Marshall was out for 26 with Oliver Newby grabbing his second wicket of the Innings.

Tom Smith then took the wicket of Alex Gidman for 45 trapping him lbw as Lancashire restricted the home side to 133 for 5.

Tom Smith grabbed another two wickets to help the Lancashire title cause, as he removed Benny Howell for 6 lbw and then got Will Gidman out for 3, with Andrea Agathangelou taking the catch.

Oliver Newby picked up his 3rd wicket when he had Agathangelou take the catch of Tom Smith for 13 and then Lancashire`s own Tom Smith then got Craig Milnes out for 0 with Kyle Hogg taking the catch. 

Lancashire were then frustrated by the final pairing of David Payne and Matthew Taylor, as the two tail-ender`s put on a 50 Partnership as the Lancs bowlers saw the home side slowing up their progress to the title. 

Eventually Oliver Newby wrapped up the Innings, when he got Payne out for 16 with substitute fielder Agathangelou taking his 3rd catch of the Innings, as Lancashire dismissed the home side out for 209 with Matthew Taylor unbeaten on 30.

Lancashire open batsmen started off fantastic for the visitors in their Second Innings, as the pair hit nearly every ball as they reached 100 with no wicket falling in quick time.

Paul Horton then fell before he could reach his half-Century, as he went for 49 off Tom Smith bowling with Howell taking the catch. 

Ashwell Prince came to the crease to partner Luis Reece as Lancashire went in search of pushing on for victory and their title cause was being helped by Kent up in Northamptonshire.

Where Kent was forcing a draw in their game, which meant Lancashire needed just 7 points to take the title.

News was filtering through that the match at Northampton had been drawn and that saw a mix of emotion for Lancashire, as they knew they were champions of the division and then saw Luis Reece miss out on a Century,  with David Payne clean bowling him on 97 with Prince finishing unbeaten on 40.

Handshakes were offered and meant that the celebrations could start, as the Red Rose County could now celebrate a bounce straight back return to the top division and where there is some unfinished business after last time round.

 

  LANCASHIRE L.V DIV 2 Champions 2013     pic: LCCC.co.uk