Daryl Mitchell's dream debut continues as Old Trafford clash meanders towards draw

ELIZABETH BOTCHERBY AT EMIRATES OLD TRAFFORD: Craig Overton impressed with four wickets but found himself playing second fiddle to Mitchell, who became just the ninth Lancashire player to score a century on his first-class debut

On Tuesday, news broke that Jofra Archer had returned home from the IPL due to elbow pain.

On Thursday, Olly Stone was ruled out of the first two Tests of the summer with a hamstring problem.

James Anderson sent the nation into a panic on Friday when he didn't reappear on day two of Lancashire's clash with Somerset. The rumour is the "minor injury" relates to his groin.

And on Saturday, Brydon Carse, rapidly rising up the pecking order, was sent for a scan after sustaining a trunk injury. Forgive me if I'm beginning to sound like Craig David.

In all, a torrid week to be an English bowler. Ben Stokes has previously spoken of having a battery of fast bowlers to rotate during the Ashes. Said battery is beginning to run low.

If there was ever a time to make England selectors aware of your presence, it was today. And Craig Overton, who hasn't played Test cricket since March 2022, duly obliged, with his best bowling performance of the season.

^{Craig Overton impressed with the ball, taking four wickets [Harry Trump/Getty Images]}

He was quickly into the action on day three, removing nightwatch Will Williams with the third delivery of the day. He combined with wicketkeeper Steven Davies twice more before lunch to account for Steven Croft and George Balderson and later picked up the wicket of George Bell to finish with figures of 4 for 52 from his 22 overs.

The latter pair came at crucial points for Somerset. Reintroduced into the attack in the 57th, he required just three deliveries to remove Balderson, trapping the youngster lbw for 71 (177) to bring to an end a 77-run partnership with Daryl Mitchell. Bell's dismissal came off the sixth delivery of his third spell, this time ending a 57-run seventh-wicket stand. Talk about a player having an impact.

But unfortunately for Overton, he wasn't the star of the show, instead playing second fiddle to Mitchell, who became just the ninth Lancashire player to score a century on his first-class debut, and the first since Ralph Whitehead (1908) to do so while also taking three wickets – thanks to Ken Grime for the intel.

Joining Balderson in the 34th over, he began his innings with a flamboyant boundary off Matt Henry and breezed towards his maiden half-century, taking 52 balls to advance into the 40s. However, following Overton's reintroduction and the wicket of Balderson – Lancashire 159 for 5 – he had to change tack.

In the company of (briefly) Dane Vilas, Bell and Tom Hartley, he soaked up the pressure, taking a further 54 deliveries to pass fifty, and later brought up Lancashire's first batting bonus point – in the 92nd over – shortly before tea.

^{Daryl Mitchell celebrates his century [Luke Adams/Lancashire Cricket]}

When play resumed, Mitchell and Hartley were a partnership reborn. Mitchell dispatched the 96th over, bowled by Kasey Aldridge, for 12 runs, including a monstrous six straight down the ground, while Hartley, dropped twice in two balls in the 20s struck seven boundaries of his own, including a run of 6, 4, 4 off Aldridge.

The second bonus point (fourth overall) was secured just 7.1 overs after the first and at the end of 99th, Mitchell reached three figures, accelerating from 76 off 157 at tea to 100 off 173. There were a few of switch hits and a couple of tonked sixes but this was a century far more notable for Mitchell's ability to alter his scoring rate at the drop of a hat than it was for his flashy shots.

When he eventually departed for 105, which also marked the end of the innings in Anderson's absence, Lancashire trailed by only 35 runs.

A note on Tom Hartley, who skulked out to bat with his head down like a No.9 who'd rather be anywhere else. Those who've watched Lancashire over the past couple of years, however, know that appearances can be deceptive and he batted beautifully for his 47 (69), riding his luck on occasion but also putting Somerset's bowlers to the sword. He was visibly annoyed when he picked out a fielder in the deep while chasing a half-century.

Speaking to The Cricketer earlier in the year, he mentioned his ambition of becoming an allrounder in order to boost his selection hopes.

^{Tom Hartley is rapidly developing into an allrounder [Luke Adams/Lancashire Cricket]}

"A lot of pitches when you play in the Championship in April it's not ideal to play a spinner, so if you play as more of an allrounder you can still bowl some useful overs," he said.

"Lancashire see my potential with the bat and in the 2nd XI, I'm more or less batting No.5 or No.6 every game. I can't just be a bowler; I've got to improve my batting. I try not to put too much pressure on [it] but it could be a big driving factor in my way into the team."

With 257 runs from six innings, he's Lancashire's third-highest run-scorer this season, so you'd suspect that, come September, he'll be firmly entrenched in the middle order and among the first names on the teamsheet. Not bad for a player who admitted he was "just happy to get my chance" in the Championship.

Somerset managed to squeeze in 28.2 second-innings overs in the Manchester sun, with contributions from Tom Lammonby (40 not out) and Tom Abell (48) helping to extend their lead to 149 runs.

Late wickets from Hartley and Saqib Mahmood got Lancashire's tail up but this match, which has been thoroughly entertaining so far, is meandering gently towards a draw.