AN INCREDIBLE performance from left-arm spinner Simon Kerrigan saw Lancashire grab a thrilling LV= County Championship win over Hampshire at Aigburth on Saturday.
The Red Rose county now make the long trip to Taunton for this week’s game with Somerset which starts at 10.30am this morning knowing that they are just three points behind Division One leaders Warwickshire and within sight of a possible first title in 77 years.
Kerrigan, who also represents Ormskirk in the Liverpool & District Cricket Competition, took career best innings figures of 9-51 from 37.2 overs, with the last Hampshire wicket falling just four minutes before the close of play.
To highlight 22-year-old Kerrigan’s achievement, these were the best figures by a Lancashire bowler since Roy Tattersall took 9-40 against Nottinghamshire in 1953.
Kerrigan also became only the sixth person to take nine wickets in an innings in a first class match at Aigburth and the first since Arthur Mailey took 9-86 for Australia against Lancashire in 1926.
A draw had always looked the more likely result after Hampshire were set a massive 361 to win off a minimum of 67 overs after some spirited early morning batting had seen Stephen Moore make his highest score for Lancashire of 169 not out. Moore and Karl Brown (54) shared a partnership of 161 inside just 29 overs with the declaration coming on the fall of Brown’s wicket at 353 for three.
Hampshire, who now almost certainly face relegation, did not bother to even chase the target leaving spinners Kerrigan, Gary Keedy and Steven Croft to bowl in tandem for the rest of the two remaining sessions.
The drama began after tea as the South Coast side crumbled from 77-3 to 199-9 as Kerrigan remarkably took all six wickets to fall. But it was the last wicket pair of Neil McKenzie and James Tomlinson who proved most stubborn as they batted for 21.2 overs to almost prevent Lancashire from claiming the spoils.
Eventually the veteran South African McKenzie edged one to Tom Smith at gulley to prompt some wild celebrations from players and supporters alike.
“They were crazy scenes towards the end,” said Kerrigan.
“There was a bit of panic setting in when we only had five minutes left to get that last wicket. We were bowling at them for 45 minutes with them at nine down, but thankfully we got it.
“We thought they were going to go for it, but they shut up shop more or less. It was a great effort to get ourselves into a position that we did. When Tomlinson came in, we thought we'd get him every ball. When he started finding his rhythm, we got a bit worried. Time starts ticking by, and all of a sudden we've only got four minutes left.
“The lads are going into that last game believing that anything's possible after today.”
