Lancashire’s batting woes continued unabated as Kent took complete control of their Vitality County Championship match at Emirates Old Trafford. Nathan Gilchrist’s career-best 6 for 24 and Wes Agar’s 4 for 35 reduced Lancashire to a paltry 92 in their first innings.
Kent’s 169-run first-innings lead allowed skipper Daniel Bell-Drummond to enforce the follow-on. Lancashire’s misery compounded as they lost three wickets for as many runs late in the day, finishing on 119 for 4, still 50 runs in arrears.
Gilchrist and Agar exploited the cloudy conditions to wreak havoc on Lancashire’s batting. Luke Wells, Josh Bohannon, Keaton Jennings, Tom Bruce, George Bell, George Balderson, and Tom Hartley all fell cheaply, leaving Lancashire reeling at 40 for 7.
Matty Hurst’s defiant 36 helped Lancashire avoid their lowest first-class score against Kent, but Gilchrist’s fifth wicket ended their innings. In their second innings, Wells and Jennings showed some fight, but Gilchrist’s brilliance continued as he dismissed both batsmen.
Joey Evison’s unbeaten 71 in Kent’s first innings proved invaluable, as Lancashire’s batting collapse handed Kent a commanding position. The visitors will be confident of securing victory on the final day, while Lancashire faces an uphill battle to salvage a draw.
