The left-arm spinner takes 5 for 69 but Lewis Goldsworthy leads the resistance with 73* as the Finals Day qualifiers played out a draw
Southport (third day of four): Somerset 446 213-7, Lancashire 624-9 - Match drawn
Left-arm spinner Jack Morley’s best first-class figures of 5 for 69 were not enough to force a Lancashire victory on a tense final day at Trafalgar Road as Somerset’s batters held on for their first draw of the season in this entertaining LV= Insurance County Championship Division One clash.
Keaton Jennings’ gargantuan knock of 318 had allowed the hosts to declare overnight on 624 for 9 with Somerset knowing they would have to first reach and then bat beyond Lancashire’s lead of 178 if they were to save the game.
And despite some nervy moments facing Morley, the West Country outfit survived reaching 213 for 7 when with seven overs left and the clock ticking around to 5.30pm, Lancashire skipper Dane Vilas called time on proceedings with the customary handshake as the Red Rose settled for 15 points to Somerset’s 11.
Earlier in the day neither Tom Bailey nor Will Williams were able to make the breakthrough with the new ball, forcing Vilas to turn quickly to Morley and was rewarded when Matt Renshaw departed for 12 driving the left-arm spinner’s straight back to the bowler.
Morley struck again four overs later with Rob Jones taking a sharp catch at leg slip to dismiss Steven Davies for 11 to leave Somerset 32 for 2 and Lancashire beginning to sniff victory.
Bowling from the Harod Drive end, Morley was finding turn and bounce on the worn pitch and George Bartlett was the next to go as he stepped across his stumps and was trapped in front for four to leave the score 74 for 3 at lunch.
(Getty Images)
Tom Lammonby has worked hard up until that point but just as Somerset, at last, began to show signs of resistance he became Morley’s fourth wicket after lunch when he attempted a reverse sweep and the ball found Jennings at short leg via the batter’s glove.
Lammonby’s dismissal for 33 prompted some more dogged determination from Somerset as Lewis Goldsworthy and James Rew came together and dropped anchor for the rest of the middle session and saw out the continued threat of Morley and the part-time spin of Luke Wells and Steven Croft.
But at each point the game looked up for Lancashire they were able to strike doubt into the small but vocal band of Somerset supporters and it was Morley’s fifth wicket straight after tea that renewed Red Rose hopes when Rew was caught at short leg by Jennings for 23 from 111 balls.
The fifth-wicket pair had put on 80 runs but any thoughts that the game was safe ended with the dismissal of Lewis Gregory who drove straight to Josh Bohannon at cover for 25 to leave the score 189 for 6 and Somerset with a slender lead of 11 runs.
Into the last hour and Roelof van der Merwe’s departure fending off Luke Wood to that man Jennings again for 12 had departing crowd members scurrying back to their seats and trying to make sense of the scoreboard which had broken down in all the excitement.
But there was to be no last-minute twist to the plot as Goldsworthy steered the ship towards the dock, finishing an excellent game for him personally, unbeaten on 73 off 213 balls with skipper Peter Siddle (4*) the other not out batter at the close.
Welcome to www.thecricketer.com - the online home of the world’s oldest cricket magazine. Breaking news, interviews, opinion and cricket goodness from every corner of our beautiful sport, from village green to national arena.