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Slim pickings for Glos as Lancashire take the lead

22 April 2022

Lancashire’s Josh Bohannon scored his fourth first class century as the Red Rose took control of a keenly contested second day at Emirates Old Trafford against Gloucestershire.

The hosts closed on 289 for three on a day when just two wickets fell in stark contrast to the 12 dismissals on day one of this LV=Insurance County Championship Division One clash with Lancashire going into day three with a handy 37 run lead.

England hopeful Bohannon finished unbeaten on 142 alongside his skipper Dave Vilas who made 39 not as the pair put on 55 unbeaten runs for the fourth wicket after Luke Wells had earlier made a well-constructed 59.

For Bolton-born Bohannon the innings was the latest on a CV which is surely making the England selectors sit up and take notice following the 25-year-old’s breakthrough season last year when he was named Lancashire’s Player of the Year after topping his side’s run scoring charts in red ball cricket.

The day had started with Lancashire on 11 for one with Gloucestershire buoyed by the late dismissal via a run out of George Balderson the previous evening.

But any hope the visitors could build on that breakthrough was soon extinguished by Wells and Bohannon who scored briskly throughout the morning to add 92 unbeaten runs to the overnight score by lunch with the former bring up his half century just before the break.

Gloucestershire, who announced the signing of Pakistani paceman Mohammad Amir at lunch, needed to tighten things up when play resumed and they did so thanks to the accurate bowling of Ryan Higgins and the left arm spin of Zafar Gohar.

Wells was the first to fall to the increased purpose from the visitor’s attack when he was trapped in front playing back to a sharply turning delivery from Zafar for 59 to end a second wicket partnership of 106 runs.

The dismissal brought Steven Croft to the crease, fresh from his century in Lancashire’s opening win against Kent, and the former Lancashire captain proved a useful partner for Bohannon as they slowly weathered Gloucestershire’s efforts before upping the scoring rate as the afternoon progressed.

Bohannon reached his century with a leg glance to the boundary off his 213th ball and Lancashire will look forward to a similar return to last season’s efforts which brought the batter 853 runs at an impressive average of 53.31.

The third wicket pair batted beyond tea and had amassed a partnership of 117 when Croft brought out his sweep once too often on 34 and Zafar, the pick of the Gloucestershire attack with two for 65, was rewarded as the stumps were broken by a fine delivery.

Another of Lancashire’s recent century makers, Vilas, then entered proceedings and together with Bohannon, the pair saw things through to the end, reaching an unbeaten 50 partnership without alarm just before the close of play.

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