Haseeb Hameed compiled a classy hundred at Trent Bridge as Nottinghamshire began their response to Lancashire’s first innings score of 331 on day two of their Vitality County Championship clash.
Wickets for Olly Stone wrapped up the visitors’ first stint with the bat within the first half-an-hour of play, before Hameed produced a captain’s performance full of composure and resilience to bring Notts close to their counterparts’ total, despite some threatening bowling from the Lancashire attack and a four-wicket haul for George Balderson.
On yet another beaming morning in the May sunshine, Lancashire tasked themselves with tallying whatever they could muster with the two wickets they had in-hand - 91 from Keaton Jennings leading the way on the opening day - as Tom Bailey and Will Williams returned to the crease.
Olly Stone ensured that their morning stay would not prolong itself as he wrapped up the visitors’ first innings within 20 minutes of the start of play. Williams was the first scalp of the day, edged and caught by Calvin Harrison at second slip, before Saqib Mahmoud drove to skipper Haseeb Hameed at short cover to hand Stone his third and bring Lancashire’s first innings to an end.
Hameed and Ben Slater came out to commence the Nottinghamshire innings, but the latter was caught at third slip to disrupt a well-paced start to the innings.
Young was very nearly dismissed on 17 after being dropped at second slip by Tom Bruce; the New Zealand batter immediately capitalised with a boundary through the covers from the subsequent delivery from Balderson as he looked to call upon his international experience to guide Notts through the following overs.
But a fatal leave from Young was his undoing, ultimately. Will Williams’ wicked delivery nipped back and clattered Young’s middle stump, while in-form Joe Clarke too succumbed to the pressure being piled on by the Lancashire seamers as George Balderson was finely edged through to wicketkeeper Matthew Hurst for 15.
While Hameed surpassed his half-century, Hurst then took his second catch of the day with the wicket of Tom Moores also going to Balderson, before Jack Haynes began to build an important fifth-wicket partnership with his captain, with Notts 104/4.
The pair showed plenty of patience, and built Notts’ first 50 partnership of the innings despite the Lancashire seamers continuing to threaten.
A richly-deserved first century of the campaign was eventually Hameed’s as he turned Balderson behind square leg to complete a 161-ball hundred after nearly four hours at the crease in the baking sunshine.
Despite looking well balanced as a duo in the middle, Haynes sadly couldn’t make his half-century and was bowled for 35 by Balderson, suffering an almost identical fate to Young as his leave was punished by a moving delivery which disturbed the stumps.
Lyndon James did similarly well in supporting Hameed - the pair added 57 between them before James’ erroneous swipe caught an edge and found the hands of Jennings as Balderson claimed his fourth wicket in an impressive bowling performance.
Calvin Harrison then tallied a quick-fire 21 from 18 deliveries, but his off-side push fell nicely for Bruce in the slips to bring his quick batting stint to a close.
Olly Stone came in as the next supporting batter, helping Hameed see through the final overs of the day as the skipper walked off to warm applause at the close of play.
Hameed (137*) and Stone (2*) will resume Notts' first innings in the morning, posting 279/7 at stumps and trailing Lancashire by 52 runs.
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