County cricket day two: Anderson rolls back the years with five-fer for Lancashire | Cricket

Storm Dave’s approach brought with it a gutsy wind that swirled across the vast expanse of Grace Road, forcing players’ hands into pockets and the owners of an elderly labrador to swap ends to keep their faithful hound warm. But the weather didn’t put off Ollie Robinson or Henry Crocombe, who both took five wickets on another long day for Leicestershire.

Robinson, whose farmhand run-up disguises his skills, grabbed five for 42 and there was a career-best five for 33 for Crocombe, who found impressive bounce and nip from the surface. The watching England and Wales Cricket Board scout will have had plenty to note down. Jake Weatherald (83) was the stand-out batter for Leicestershire, all nut-brown arms and interesting angles. Daniel Hughes’ 72 then helped Sussex to a useful lead of 265 on a pitch beginning to misbehave.

Jimmy Anderson showed that the role of permanent Lancashire captain fitted very nicely with five wickets at Wantage Road. He ripped through Northants’ top six, including the wicket of James Sales – 21 years earlier Anderson had dismissed his dad, David. A pugnacious 54 from Lewis McManus inched Northants to within 20 runs of the follow on. Earlier Ben Sanderson, even at 37 six years younger than Anderson, collected his own five-wicket haul.

The weather dropped the curtains early at Edgbaston, where Warwickshire kicked back and slapped boundaries against a wayward Surrey attack. Dan Mousley’s first championship century, a calm innings, was greeted with merry applause by the zipped up members, and he and Sam Hain (80 not out) took Warwickshire past Surrey, with eight wickets in hand. There were also half centuries for Alex Davies and Rob Yates.

Dillon Pennington zipped through the Somerset tail in the first hour of the day at Taunton to cut them off just before they could claim a third batting point, to the ire of Craig Overton, stranded on 60. Migael Pretorius nipped out Notts’ top three but Joe Clarke (70 not out) and Jack Haynes (53 not out) then added an unbeaten 90 for the fourth wicket.

At Sophia Gardens, Glamorgan continue to rise from the ashes against Yorkshire, masterminded by a patient century from Colin Ingram, and half centuries from Ben Kellaway and Mason Crane. Dom Bess, captaining Yorkshire with Jonny Bairstow off the field with a finger injury, grabbed three wickets.

Martin Andersson became the first man to score a double-century in 2026, his 228 grinding a wearing Worcestershire into the Derby dust. He and Luis Reece (114) added 273 for the fifth wicket. Derby finally declared on 625 for eight, but Dan Lategan’s unbeaten 77 ensured Worcestershire finished the day with a trinket. Shoaib Bashir has had his first bowl in a Derbyshire jersey.

Sam Northeast’s return to Kent will have had a familiar feel. His 94 held the innings together with paper and string, the next highest non-extras score 22 by the No 10, Keith Dudgeon. There were three wickets each for Matthew Potts and Kemar Roach, the latter playing his first game for Durham.

Essex piled up the runs at Hampshire, Matt Critchley’s 173 leading the way. After the declaration, Sam Cook then took two quick wickets before bad light gave Hampshire temporary shelter.

Gloucestershire found themselves in similar trouble against Middlesex, after Toby Roland-Jones left them 26 for three. Miles Hammond’s unbeaten 59 applied some ballast. Earlier Middlesex declared on 445 for nine, Leus du Plooy eighth man out for 182, Joe Cracknell bowled three short of a century.