Lancs batsmen struggle again

9:41pm Wednesday 6th August 2008

Lancashire’s batting woes are threatening to undermine their charge for the County Championship title after a worrying opening day against Sussex at Old Trafford yesterday.

The Red Rose county slumped to 206 all out after winning the toss and electing to bat first against the county champions.

Visiting off-spinner Ollie Rayner claimed 5-65 from his 25.3 overs on a surprisingly helpful Old Trafford track.

Lancashire, who have only passed 400 once all season, have only claimed 22 batting bonus points out of a possible 50.

“We have to get down and make bigger first innings scores, that’s the top and bottom of it,” assessed cricket manager Mike Watkinson after watching Steven Croft hit 46 and Luke Sutton 45 not out.

“The bowling and fielding unit has been firing really well. If there is one area that we could do with taking up a notch, it is our batting in the first innings to get those extra bonus points and the early advantage in games.”

Left-arm swing bowler Jason Lewry notched three early wickets to put Lancashire in strife at 16-3, while Luke Wright got Stuart Law for 31-4.

Francois Du Plessis hit 37 in a fifth wicket partnership of 59 with Croft, as Dominic Cork also recorded 32 in an eight wicket stand of 53 with Sutton.

“We had a couple of lads who got in and got out, and on a day like today you want them to convert 30-odd into 60 or 70 and push your score on to the 250-275 we would like to have had,” continued Watkinson.

“We need somebody to rescue situations when it gets difficult and unfortunately none of those went on to make that telling difference with a bigger score.”

Raynor, the 22 year-old born in Germany, built on Lewry’s start by pushing the ball through a lot quicker and flatter on a “tacky” wicket.

That was Watkinson’s description, as he said: “This morning was the first time I got chance to see the wicket, and it was tacky. It made the toss a difficult decision.”

Lancashire captain Law won the toss and elected to bat first. Watkinson continued: “That has been and gone now. We are looking to bowl well in our innings and take some early wickets.”

Mushtaq Ahmed also took a wicket for Sussex, who reached 9-0 from 6.3 overs of their reply. Cork had a strong run out appeal against Chris Nash turned down with the score on 4-0.

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