County Championship: Luke Wells hits fabulous century for Lancashire against Yorkshire

Luke Wells hit a brilliant 124 for Lancashire

Luke Wells smashed a fabulous 65-ball century on day three at Emirates Old Trafford to maintain Lancashire's hopes of securing the Roses win that will keep their County Championship title hopes alive.

Lancashire started this game, the first of three remaining, 34 points behind leaders Surrey. If they do not win here, their chances of the title are realistically over given the leaders - who do not play this week - would still have three fixtures remaining.

And early in the afternoon, their hopes were receding as Yorkshire edged their way towards first-innings parity in reply to 276, bowled out for 255.

Red Rose seamer Tom Bailey's 4-56 included his 300th first-class wicket before Wells set about building the lead in quick time with 124 in 82 balls. He helped his county reach close at 203-3 from 33 overs, a lead of 224.

He shared 186 inside 28 overs with opening partner Keaton Jennings, who added 68 before bad light ended the day 16 overs early.

• Relive the third day's County Championship action as it happened

Bailey claimed three of the six Yorkshire wickets to fall on day three after they resumed on 130-4.

The 31-year-old had Matthew Waite caught behind, Jordan Thompson caught at mid-on and Dom Bess caught at square-leg, all falling to loose shots as the score became 219-9 shortly before lunch.

The Bess wicket, following a top-edged pull, was Bailey's milestone scalp.

Innings top-scorer Tom Kohler-Cadmore, with 51, was caught at deep square-leg slog sweeping the leg-spin of Matt Parkinson, who finished with three wickets.

Given the positivity with which Wells batted in Lancashire's second innings, and the unsettled forecast for Manchester, it could be vitally important for Yorkshire that last pair Ben Coad and Steve Patterson united for the best part of 22 overs.

They added 34 in watchful fashion to take valuable time out of the game and secure their side a second batting bonus point along the way.

Wells set to work on building Lancashire's slender first-innings lead in devastating fashion either side of tea.

He crashed a 29-ball fifty and was particularly dominant straight down the ground and whipping over backward square-leg. He went on to hit six sixes in all.

Lancashire reached tea at 80 without loss in only 12 overs and Wells hit the first two balls of the evening for four.

Early in the evening, Yorkshire posted as many as seven deep fielders when Wells was on strike.

Like Bailey, Wells is similarly underrated. Released by home county Sussex at the end of 2020, he has enjoyed an exceptional second summer with Lancashire.

He is closing in on 1,000 Championship runs for the season, a milestone Jennings reached during this innings.

Before bad light came at 5.20pm, Jennings was the second of two wickets during a notable passage of play which saw Jonny Tattersall relinquish the gloves to Kohler-Cadmore, seemingly to increase a poor over-rate by bowling some leg-spinners.

Kohler-Cadmore stumped Josh Bohannon off Bess and Tattersall struck with his fifth ball in first-team cricket, getting Jennings caught at short third reverse sweeping almost immediately before the light closed in.

Report supplied by the ECB Reporters' Network.