Kent Triumph Over Lancashire in Vitality County Championship

Kent Triumph Over Lancashire in Vitality County Championship

Kent’s Daniel Bell-Drummond guided his team to a resounding seven-wicket victory over Lancashire in the Vitality County Championship match at Emirates Old Trafford. The Kent skipper’s unbeaten 79 steered his side to their target of 164, securing their first win on the ground since 1997.

Lancashire’s bowlers, led by Nathan Lyon and Tom Hartley, posed a significant challenge to Kent’s batters. However, the Kent top order remained resilient, keeping the scoreboard ticking over despite the difficult batting conditions. Lyon eventually dismissed Ben Compton for 29 and Jack Leaning for 16, but these wickets failed to derail Kent’s momentum.

Bell-Drummond’s partnership with Compton had laid the foundation for Kent’s victory, and he continued to anchor the innings with aplomb. Joe Denly struck the winning four to finish on 19 not out, completing Kent’s first win of the season.

Lyon finished with figures of 2 for 48 from 22 overs, while Hartley bowled 13 wicketless overs for 42 runs. The victory lifts Kent to sixth in the First Division table, while Lancashire remain winless and bottom of the pile.

Rocky Flintoff Jr. Scores Maiden Century for Lancashire's 2nd XI

Rocky Flintoff Jr. Scores Maiden Century for Lancashire’s 2nd XI

Rocky Flintoff, the son of former England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff, has made a remarkable start to his cricket career, scoring a maiden century for Lancashire’s 2nd XI at the age of 16.

Flintoff, who made his second-team debut earlier this month, reached three figures against Warwickshire at Edgbaston after a 39-run partnership with his older brother Corey. Batting at No. 5, Flintoff hit several early boundaries off Warwickshire’s highly-rated seamer Che Simmons, including an inside-edge past his leg stump. He also hit a brace of leg-side sixes, the first reminiscent of his dad’s pull shot and the second an effortless pick-up over midwicket.

Flintoff put on exactly 100 in 14.3 overs with Saqib Mahmood, the England fast bowler, who is captaining Lancashire’s 2nd XI as he continues his rehabilitation from a back stress fracture. He also spent 13 overs batting with his older Corey, 18, with the pair adding 39 for the seventh wicket.

He reached his hundred when cutting Lintott through cover-point for a single, raising his left hand aloft in celebration as he ran through before raising his bat.

Both Flintoff brothers have been in Lancashire’s academy since a young age, and have played club cricket for Southport and Birkdale. They both attend Manchester Grammar School, the alma mater of former England players Michael Atherton and John Crawley as well as Lancashire’s director of cricket Mark Chilton.

Their father Andrew has returned to cricket in the last nine months, after suffering serious injuries in a high-speed crash while filming an episode of Top Gear in 2022. He will continue to work as a consultant with England at June’s T20 World Cup after spending time with their white-ball and Lions teams, and will coach Northern Superchargers in the men’s Hundred this summer.

Lancashire Assistant Coach Carl Crowe Departs for New Opportunities

Lancashire Assistant Coach Carl Crowe Departs for New Opportunities

Carl Crowe, Lancashire’s assistant coach, has bid farewell to the club after a mutually agreed departure on the cusp of the 2024 county season. The 48-year-old, who played 83 professional games between 1995 and 2009, has decided to explore new coaching opportunities.

Crowe’s coaching journey with Lancashire began as a consultant coach for the spinners in 2020 and 2021. He then transitioned to a full-time assistant role in late 2021. Prior to his time at Emirates Old Trafford, Crowe had established a strong reputation on the T20 franchise circuit, notably through his work with Sunil Narine.

“I have cherished my time at Emirates Old Trafford, but I believe it’s the right moment in my coaching career to move on and embrace new challenges,” Crowe said. “It was an honor to serve the Red Rose, and I am confident that this team has a bright future ahead. I extend my best wishes to Dale, Keaton, the players, and our loyal supporters.”

Director of Cricket Performance Mark Chilton expressed his gratitude for Crowe’s contributions. “Carl has made the decision to pursue new opportunities, and we fully support his choice. We appreciate his hard work since joining us permanently in 2021 and wish him all the best in his future endeavors,” Chilton said.

“Our relationship with Carl has been extremely positive, and we would welcome the opportunity to collaborate again in the future if the right circumstances arise. We are actively seeking a replacement for the coaching staff and will announce the appointment in due course.”

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