County Championship: James Anderson helps put Lancashire in control at Lord's
- Published
James Anderson, England's all-time leading Test wicket-taker, conceded under two runs an over
Specsavers County Championship Division Two, Lord's (day one): |
Middlesex 236-9: Eskinazi 75, Gubbins 55; Bailey 4-51, Anderson 3-41 |
Lancashire: Yet to bat |
Lancashire 3 pts, Middlesex 1 pt |
England seamer James Anderson took three wickets as Middlesex collapsed from 126-1 to 236-9 on the opening day against Lancashire at Lord's.
Anderson bowled with his trademark discipline and control, conceding just 41 runs in his 21 overs.
He dismissed Sam Robson for just three inside the first seven overs, before Nick Gubbins (55) and Steve Eskinazi (75) shared 112 for the second wicket.
But Tom Bailey (4-51) saw off both batsmen to spark a Red Rose resurgence.
Anderson had home captain Dawid Malan, who struck an unbeaten 160 against Northants last week, caught in the slips by international team-mate Keaton Jennings, before also dismissing Max Holden.
England white-ball captain Eoin Morgan failed to make an impression, falling for eight, while Bailey rounded off a dominant day for the visitors by seeing off Steven Finn in the final over.
Lancashire and England's Jimmy Anderson:
"We are very happy with that. We had a frustrating first session and a half where we didn't quite get the rewards. But we bowled brilliantly all day. The whole group were really on it.
"We could have felt sorry for ourselves when we'd missed a few chances, but we thought if we stuck at it and created pressure from both ends, at some stage we'd get our rewards.
"I was happy with the way it came out for me. It swung a bit in the morning and did a tiny bit off the seam. When it does that, I really enjoy bowling and I kept that momentum going."
Middlesex batsman Stevie Eskinazi:
"It's definitely a bit disappointing to finish the way we did there in the last session. I guess that's credit to the way Lancashire stuck at it on what was an interesting wicket.
"There was enough in it for the seamers all day, but it definitely felt like if you did the hard work early there were scoring options.
"There was a time, when Gubbo and I were in, where we thought we could take it all the way to the end. It's just disappointing not to kick on and get that big one to set us up for later in the game."