Northants make Lancashire follow-on at Old Trafford

Keaton Jennings was out for 49 in Lancashire's second innings

Rothesay County Championship Division Two, Emirates Old Trafford (day three)

Northamptonshire 496: Zaib 116, McManus 95, Sales 92; Hartley 3-91

Lancashire 228: Jennings 96; Harrison 4-34 & 126-2 f/o: Bohannon 67*

Lancashire (2pts) trail Northants (8pts) by 142 runs f/o

Match scorecard

Northamptonshire are closing in on a first County Championship victory at Old Trafford since 1999, and only their fourth ever win at Lancashire's headquarters, after bowling the hosts out for 228 and then having the home side 126-2 in their second innings after enforcing the follow-on.

Liam Guthrie gave Northamptonshire the dream start when he trapped Michael Jones lbw for 0 with an inswinger as Lancashire batted a second time but the visitors' victory quest was held up by a resolute 120-run partnership between Keaton Jennings, who added 49 runs to go with his first innings 96 and Josh Bohannon, who remains unbeaten on 67.

Bohannon took 146 balls to reach his half century and batted with great determination while his seven fours included a lovely flick of the wrists off Harrison to the midwicket fence, but the bowler changed ends and produced what could be a decisive moment in the match by finding the edge of Jennings' bat six overs before stumps - his fifth wicket in this match - with Lewis McManus delightedly taking his 100th first-class dismissal.

Four first-innings wickets for Harrison and three by Justin Broad led a fine bowling effort by Northamptonshire who took the remaining Lancashire wickets by the seventh over of the afternoon session, backing up the massive 496 accumulated by their batsmen, to put their side in the box seat after three days.

It was Raphy Weatherall who struck first after 50 minutes of play when Matty Hurst steered a catch straight to Ricardo Vasconcelos at gully for 16 the over after the wicketkeeper/batter had confidently twice pulled Broad to backward square leg for four.

Harrison picked up his first wicket of the day when Luke Wells, on 20, attempted to repeat the sweep shot that had brought him six runs earlier but this time top edging high to midwicket where Broad took a good running catch. That ended a promising partnership of 46 and began a clatter of the three wickets to fall for five runs in 19 balls with first day centurion Saib Zaib to the fore.

Jennings had looked imperious in stroking his way steadily to 96 and the fierce drive the Lancashire skipper produced against Harrison looked destined to bring up his century, but instead it nestled in the hand of Zaib at midwicket after the all-rounder flung himself to his right to pull off a stunning catch.

Given the almost perfunctory one over of spin before lunch, Zaib then trapped George Balderson lbw for one to complete a magical five minutes and leave the spinner with figures for this season of 5-9 from 9.5 overs.

Harrison (4-34) and Broad (3-58) swiftly wrapped up the innings post lunch, Tom Hartley pulling the former to George Bartlett at midwicket for eight and Tom Bailey finding the same fielder at long leg off Broad for the same score.

Lancashire made a much better fist of things second time around, but Northamptonshire remain firm favourites to clinch a result on Monday.

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