Lancashire see off Hampshire... and would have stayed up if they'd managed 27 more first-innings runs

Lancashire had their relegation confirmed to Division Two on day two when they failed to reach a third batting point

^{Keaton Jennings saw Lancashire to victory over Hampshire (stock image)}

Ageas Bowl (third day of four): Hampshire 187 & 198, Lancashire 273 & 113-2 - Lancashire won by eight wickets

Scorecard

Keaton Jennings led Lancashire's winning chase over Hampshire with a unbeaten 40, but the Specsavers County Championship victory was bittersweet for the already relegated county.

Lancashire had their relegation confirmed to Division Two on day two when they failed to reach a third batting point.

In an ironic twist, Lancashire would have stayed up if they had scored 27 more first innings runs, to reach 300, with Nottinghamshire failing to beat Somerset.

The visitors did lose two wickets in two balls during their chase of 113, as Fidel Edwards grabbed his 53rd and 54th wickets of the season.

The fast bowler found the outside of Alex Davies’ bat to edge to a diving Sam Northeast at third slip before producing a bullet delivery to dislodge debutant Brooke Guest’s off-stump.

Jennings, though, carried over the line in attacking style – carting Kyle Abbott for four boundaries in the first over.

He gave Joe Root and the England coaching staff a timely nod before the Test side fly out to Sri Lanka.

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Liam Livingstone, 48 not out, added the remaining 73 with Jennings in a bashful style – with the captain completing the eight wicket victory by smashing Ian Holland over the top of the leg side in successive balls.

Lewis McManus had started the day alongside Kyle Abbott with a lead of 92, but only four runs were added before the first of the two remaining wickets fell.

Abbott, who ended the season with a creditable batting average of almost 26 from No.10, was bowled by a big in-swinger from Tom Bailey for 21

McManus, now with Fidel Edwards, eked Hampshire’s lead over 100 before the West Indian was bowled, again by Bailey – who claimed eight wickets in the match.

The scalp meant Bailey completed the campaign as the highest wicket-taker in Division One, with 64 wickets – seven more than team-mate Graham Onions and Essex’s Jamie Porter, who could still overtake him.

It also meant McManus was left stranded on 44 on his first Championship appearance since June, having lost the wicketkeeping gloves to Tom Alsop.

Lancashire then knocked off the 113 required for victory in exactly 13 overs.

The defeat means Hampshire will have to wait until after Yorkshire’s match with Worcestershire is concluded to discover whether they finish fourth, for the first time in the club’s history, or fifth.

Report courtesy of the ECB Reporters Network