Harris ton puts Lancashire in control over Glos

BBC News

02-05-2025

Rothesay County Championship Division Two, Emirates Old Trafford (day one)Lancashire 342-5: Harris 165*, Hurst 78, Bohannon 56; Singh Dale 2-36 Gloucestershire: Yet to batBonus points: Lancashire 2pts, Gloucestershire 1pt.Match scorecard
Australia batter Marcus Harris was the star as Lancashire took control against Gloucestershire on day one of their Division Two encounter.Harris struck an unbeaten 165 to become the leading run scorer in the Championship this summer and help the Red Rose close on 342-5.Since moving to the club, he has scored 559 runs in seven innings with three fifties and two centuries at a current average of 111.80. Batting against one of his former counties, Harris arrived at the crease at 23-2 after Ajeet Singh Dale had dismissed both of Lancashire's openers. The 32-year-old shared partnerships of 98 with Josh Bohannon (56) and then a mammoth 212 with Matty Hurst, who was out for 78 just before the close.
On a perfect day for batting, it was a simple choice for captain Keaton Jennings to bat first in a match between two sides looking for a first Championship win of the season.But after being contained by the new ball, the skiddy pace of Singh Dale did early damage for the visitors.There was an element of luck about how he had George Bell for 10, with the batter surprised by extra bounce and only able to deflect the ball onto the stumps with his boot.But he then had Jennings caught at second slip for a rather painful four off 33 deliveries.That brought Harris to the crease with Bohannon - two batters in form in early season.
It showed in a fine partnership with number three Bohannon passing 5,000 first-class runs for Lancashire on his way to a half-century off 96 balls.But from nowhere, he was lbw to an attempted hoick across the line from the off-spin of Ollie Price to leave the hosts 121-3.If Gloucestershire sensed an opening, Harris shut that down as he began to dominate proceedings.While he took 106 balls to reach his fifty, he required only 70 more to reach his second Lancashire century and first at Old Trafford.And his third fifty came at more than a run-a-ball as he timed the ball superbly, hitting 15 fours and two sixes by the close.Hurst had been a fine support in reaching his first half-century of the summer and with his and Harris' 200-run partnership coming off 277 balls, the 21-year-old wicketkeeper was beginning to accelerate until he was caught behind off Zaman Akhter via the toe of the bat.Nightwatchman Saqib Mahmood was yorked for four in the same over, as the visitors fought back, but with Harris still at the crease, Lancashire will hope for a big first-innings score to set up the game on the second day.