Bancroft held the Lancashire attack at bay for the whole of Durham’s innings, with the Australian finishing day four unbeaten on 92 to continue his good form with the bat at his new county, who have rallied after a difficult start to the season
Sedbergh (final day of four): Lancashire 337 & 247, Durham 281 & 193-6 - match drawn
A battling innings from Durham captain Cameron Bancroft ensured his side clung on for a determined draw against a Lancashire outfit minus two key bowlers on the final day at Sedbergh School.
Bancroft held the Lancashire attack at bay for the whole of Durham’s innings, with the Australian finishing the day unbeaten on 92 to continue his good form with the bat at his new county, who have rallied after a difficult start to the season.
Lancashire were full of hope at tea, having taken five wickets across the morning and afternoon sessions, but with both James Anderson and Liam Livingstone missing from their attack through injury, it became increasingly clear their threadbare line up did not have the firepower to trouble the brilliant Bancroft, who led his team to the close alongside an equally committed Ben Raine.
Earlier in the day, a blistering spell from young paceman Saqib Mahmood had put Lancashire in pole position to claim the final day win at Sedbergh School’s inaugural first-class game.
Taking the new ball in place of the injured Anderson, the 22-year-old claimed two victims in his first two overs, clipping Alex Lees’ off stump after the scoreless batsman had shouldered arms, before spread-eagling Gareth Harte’s wickets again for no score.
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That left Durham 11 for 2 and they had progressed to 39 for 2 by lunch after Bancroft was joined by Jack Burnham, the pair surviving Mahmood’s onslaught to leave the north easterners requiring another 265 runs to win with eight wickets remaining.
Lancashire continued to push for victory through the middle session, claiming three wickets after lunch, with Burnham becoming the second batsman to be clean bowled shouldering arms when he misjudged a Graham Onions delivery and was dismissed for 20.
However, Lancashire’s bowling options were beginning to look limited and Durham took advantage, with Bancroft and Graham Clarke constructing a fourth-wicket partnership of 69, before Josh Bohannon bowled Clarke for 26 with a delivery that kept low and hit his off stump.
Liam Trevaskis followed soon after with Onions picking up another wicket when the all-rounder edged to Rob Jones at second slip for three.
Bancroft remained unbeaten on 57 at tea with Ned Eckersley joining him on three not out as Durham prepared to face 35 overs requiring another 182 runs to win with five wickets remaining.
Thirty minutes after tea, the host’s hopes were raised again when Eckersley played on to Mahmood, who finished with 3-58, but it was not to be as Bancroft and Raine (19no) steered Durham to 6pm when the players shook hands with four overs left and with the score 194 for 6.
The draw means Lancashire, who are second in Specsavers County Championship Division Two, finish with 11 points to Durham’s nine and are now three points behind leaders Glamorgan with a game in hand. Durham, who have now gone four games unbeaten, sit in eighth.
Courtesy of the ECB reporters network
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