Published: Sep 16, 2016, 12:31 AM (IST)
Edited: Sep 16, 2016, 12:31 AM (IST)
London: Jason Gillespie still has a chance to bow out of English cricket by guiding holders Yorkshire to a third straight County Championship title in next week’s final round of matches. A draw for first division rivals Middlesex away to Lancashire on Thursday left the London club top of the table by nine points heading into their showdown with Yorkshire at Lord’s. But third-placed Somerset, bidding for a first of the County Championship title in the west country club’s history, are still in the hunt at just a point adrift of the Yorkshire. Somerset play already-relegated Nottinghamshire in the final round of matches and, with 24 points on offer for a win achieved with maximum bonus points, the destiny of the title is still a long way from being decided.
By contrast, Thursday’s match at Old Trafford long looked as if it would finish in a draw. Middlesex declared on 240 for eight on the fourth and final afternoon to leave Lancashire with a target of 309. Lancashire signalled their attacking intentions by promoting England one-day specialist Jos Buttler to open but once he fell cheaply they settled for a draw with Haseeb Hameed, who could be named in the England’s squad for their Bangladesh tour on Friday, unbeaten on 25 as the hosts finished on 80 for one.
In the Second Division, Leicestershire captain Mark Cosgrove had a match to remember as he made 110, his 33rd first-class hundred, to add to the Australian’s first-innings 95 not out in a hard-fought draw against Derbyshire at Derby.
