Lancashire skipper James Anderson took 4-18 to help his side defy the odds and defeat Derbyshire by 29 runs on a dramatic last day of the County Championship match at Emirates Old Trafford.
Having bowled out Lancashire for 160 in their second innings, Ben Aitchison taking 3-38, Derbyshire needed only 138 to record their first victory on this ground since 1996.
But Lancashire’s four-man seam attack had other ideas and, despite skipper Harry Came’s 30, the visitors lost their last nine wickets for 75 runs with Anderson taking 4-7 in his 4.5-over second spell. Lancashire take 21 points from the game to Derbyshire’s six.
The morning’s play began in sensational fashion when Aitchison took two wickets in two balls in the first over. Paul Coughlin was caught behind by Brooke Guest without adding to his overnight 47, completely beaten by a fine delivery which bounced and moved away from him. Then Tom Bailey was late on a defensive shot and had his off stump knocked back by Aitchison’s third ball of the day.
Mitch Stanley then dominated the strike to the extent that ex-Australia Test batsman Marcus Harris faced only six balls in the first six overs of the session. However, Stanley was eventually trapped lbw by Muhammad Abbas for five and Harris was caught behind for 66 off Aitchison when trying to manufacture a single.
Derbyshire’s pursuit of 138 began badly when Caleb Jewell chipped Bailey to Harris in the second over of the innings. Jewell’s dismissal for five brought his aggregate against Lancashire in six completed first-class innings to 46.
But even more concerning for nervous visiting supporters were the dismissals of Matt Montgomery, caught by Michael Jones at first slip for 12, and Guest, pouched by Harry Singh at second slip for five, both wickets falling off the bowling of Coughlin, who continued his excellent Lancashire debut by reducing Derbyshire to 39-3 15 minutes before lunch.
Came and Martin Andersson took their side to 52-3, still 86 runs short of their target, at lunch and the anxieties of visiting supporters were not soothed 15 minutes into the afternoon session when Came was caught behind for 30 pushing uncertainly at Bailey. Twenty-one more runs had been scored via three boundaries and a ragbag of extras when that wicket fell but Came’s dismissal slowed the scoring rate.
Anderson capitalised on the batsmen’s uncertainty to take two wickets in an over and reduce Derbyshire to 77-6. Having made 15, Martin Andersson wafted uncharacteristically loosely outside the off stump and edged a catch to Jones at first slip. Then Anuj Dal was pinned lbw for a third-ball duck to leave Lancashire as warm favourites to win the game.
That position when strengthened when Luis Reece was seventh out, leg before wicket to Mitch Stanley for 10 with 47 runs still needed for victory. Aitchison hit three boundaries in 10 balls but then fell lbw to Anderson, who also had Shoaib Bashir caught at slip by Harry Singh for two in his next over.
That left Derbyshire on 108-9 and a chaotic misunderstanding between Abbas and Zak Chappell resulted in the latter being run out for five to end the game and spark riotous Lancashire celebrations.
Report by ECB Reporters’ Network, supported by Rothesay.