Crook and Keogh centuries deject Lancs at Northants

Steven Crook (102*) and Rob Keogh (100) both hit impressive centuries on the final day of Northamptonshire's four-day game against Lancashire as the match ended in an inevitable draw at Wantage Road.

Former Lancashire all-rounder Crook reached his maiden first-class hundred for Northants on home soil - only the second of his entire career - in just 90 deliveries, adding an unbeaten partnership with Josh Cobb (46*) worth 156 runs as the hosts finished the final day on an imposing second innings score of 391/5.

Earlier in the day Keogh made his first century of the season and the fourth of his first class career as he and Stephen Peters (81) also shared a fine partnership, adding 125 for the third wicket, as Peters passed 14,000 first-class runs in his magnificent innings.

For the second day in a row the wind forced the game to be played without bails as a peak of 45mph winds howled around the ground. The forecast suggested that little or no play would be likely on the final day of this LV= County Championship encounter, but a staggering 70 overs were bowled before the players shook hands at 4.45pm.

Lancashire enjoyed the better of the third day, claiming two late wickets to give their hosts something to think about as play resumed this morning. The day began with Lancashire in search of their third successive win of the season, a notion which a few hours later became laughable as the home side dominated the final day on what proved to be a terribly friendly pitch for batting.

Peters passed 14,000 first class runs.

 The visitors needed early wickets but were denied a route to success by overnight batsmen Peters and Keogh who batted for most of the morning session unscathed by the Lancashire bowlers. Peters had made an important fifty in Northamptonshire's first innings and played a slightly different role on this occasion as he initially got the hosts out of a spot of bother, also taking Northants into the lead after they overturned the slender deficit of 51 runs achieved by the Red Rose.

The Northants opener went on to reach his second half-century of the match in 85 deliveries with six fours just before a brief rain delay forced three overs to be lost, a figure which could have been a lot more if the initial forecast had lived up to expectation.

David Willey's unbeaten century against Gloucestershire had been Northamptonshire's first and only century so far this season and Peters' third half century in a row suggested that he would be next to reach three figures, particularly after making 56 in the first innings.

Keogh scored exactly 100 for the hosts.

Peters and Keogh reached the hundred-partnership guiding the hosts well away from danger after they had stumbled to 13/2, but Peters missed out an a thoroughly deserved century when he managed to pick out Simon Kerrigan at long-leg on 89, supplying Jordan Clark (2-58) with his first breakthrough of the innings with the hosts on 138/3.

Keogh and Adam Rossington added a further 49 runs for the fourth wicket, as Northants continued to build a lead and move further away from the slim possibility of a final-day upset. Having shared a strong partnership with Peters, Keogh seized the initiative with Rossington reaching a half-century of his own in 99 balls, hitting Kerrigan for a huge six to reach this milestone.

The pair continued to play eye-catching strokes after lunch but Rossington departed in tame fashion, finding Steven Croft in the covers off the bowling of Kerrigan (1-95). This brought Cobb to the crease who was looking to make amends after falling for a golden duck in the first innings. The former Leicestershire all-rounder avoided a pair in the best way possible, also lofting Kerrigan for six as he started his partnership with Keogh in commanding fashion.

They added a further 42 runs to the Northants total as Keogh eventually reached one-hundred in 146 balls with 12 fours and two sixes, with Keogh easily surpassing his previous best score this season of 81 which he scored against Gloucestershire in the opening fixture. But Keogh's innings came to an end on exactly 100 when Clark was once again on hand to remove the Northants batsman, who hooked Clark's delivery to Tom Bailey at long-leg.

Crook made his first hundred on home soil
for Northants against his former side.

Crook started his innings in a typically positive manner and became the third Northants player to achieve a half-century in the second innings, reaching this milestone in the quickest time as he passed fifty for the second time in the match in only 48 deliveries.

The former Lancashire player received a thunderous applause from both dressing rooms when he eventually reached his century, a feat he achieved in just 90 balls with 11 fours and one six. This moment of celebration signalled the final interest in what had for a long time appeared to be a dead rubber and with Northants leading by 340 runs, the umpires used the bad light as a perfect excuse to put the cold and dejected Lancashire players out of their misery.

That is not to say that the visitors will not be pleased with what they have achieved from this fixture. After all, Northants are highly likely to be flirting with promotion come September and to post the highest score of the game and stay top of Division Two by 15 points, a margin they hold over Northants in second place, is a good start for a side looking to make an immediate return to Division One.

Championship points: Lancashire 13, Northamptonshire 12.