County Championship: Daniel Bell-Drummond steers Kent to first Old Trafford win over Lancashire since 1997

Glamorgan's in-form pair of Sam Northeast and Colin Ingram each hit superb final-day centuries to help secure a draw against their frustrated Yorkshire hosts; elsewhere in Division Two, Middlesex's clash with Leicestershire also ends in a draw with no play possible on day four

Thursday 16 May 2024 16:56, UK

Daniel Bell-Drummond struck an unbeaten 79 to steer Kent to a first County Championship win over Lancashire at Old Trafford in 27 years.

Bell-Drummond's fourth fifty in eight innings this season saw his side to a deserved seven-wicket victory in Division One, as the visitors successfully chased 164 in their final innings.

With Kent resuming the fourth and final day well placed on 71-1, Australia and England spin pair Nathan Lyon and Tom Hartley induced a number of false shots in the first hour of play, but Bell-Drummond dug in when batting was at its most difficult and managed to keep the scoreboard ticking.

Both wickets that did fall were taken by Lyon (2-48), who caught and bowled Ben Compton for 29 - thus ending his 86-run stand with Bell-Drummond - before having Jack Leaning caught at slip by Luke Wells for 16.

But those wickets never threatened to prompt a collapse and the game ended in a flurry of boundaries as the visitors completed their first win at Old Trafford since 1997 eight minutes before the scheduled lunch interval, Joe Denly (19no) hitting the winning four.

Kent's first win of the season moves them up to sixth in the Division One table, while Lancashire are still without a victory and remain bottom of the pile.

In Division Two, Glamorgan's in-form pair of Sam Northeast and Colin Ingram each hit superb final-day centuries to help secure a draw against their frustrated Yorkshire hosts at Headingley.

Ingram and captain Northeast continued their excellent starts to the season with patient scores of 113 and 142 not out, respectively, compiling a double-century (210) partnership for the fourth wicket.

Yorkshire had claimed a first-innings lead of 298 just after lunch on day three and would have been confident of forcing a first win of 2024 at the fifth attempt as Glamorgan started the day on 171-3 in their second innings.

But, when thunder and lightning intervened just before 4.20pm, the visitors had progressed to 372-7, with a lead of 74, and no more play would be possible.

Just moments before Northeast joined Ingram through to a ton, the latter picked out mid-off against Joe Root's off-spin - the first wicket of the day - to see Glamorgan four down and leading by five runs at that point.

Root then forced Chris Cooke (8) to play on and Adam Lyth trapped Tom Bevan (12) and James Harris (3) lbw either side of tea, leaving Glamorgan, but the weather ultimately intervened and ensured the match was drawn.

Elsewhere, Middlesex's clash with Leicestershire ended in a damp squib of a draw with no play possible on the final day.

The hosts led by 101 with two wickets left going into day four of the Division Two clash but the rain which washed out the first day's action returned with a vengeance early on the final morning, drenching the Lord's outfield.

Umpires Paul Baldwin and Robert White gave the ground every chance to recover, calling an early tea at 3:10pm following a 2:35pm inspection. However, further rain in the interim led to the abandonment at 3:25pm.

The hosts earn 15 points to Leicestershire's 12, leaving them both on 68 points, six behind leaders Sussex. Middlesex, however, are above the Foxes in the table on games won.