Lehmann's pride as ruthless Northants overpower Lancashire to break Old Trafford hoodoo

The County maintained their push for promotion from the Rothesay Championship Division Two with a brilliant 316-run demolition of the Red Rose, the club's first red ball win in Manchester since way back in 1999.

Northants went into the final day needing eight wickets to secure the victory, and they had the match all wrapped up early in the afternoon session as the home side were bowled out for just 129.

The wickets were shared around, with Ben Sanderson, Liam Guthrie, skipper Luke Procter and Calvin Harrison all taking two apiece, and that followed on from two strong all-round batting performances.

George Bartlett was the star man in the first innings, hitting 92 from 151 balls to rescue Northants from a precarious 92 for five and guide them to 284 all out.

Lancashire were then rolled over for 137, with Sanderson and Guthrie taking seven wickets between them, before Ricardo Vasconcelos hit a fourth century of the summer, making exactly 100 as the County declared on 298 for four - a whopping lead of 445!

That proved to be way too much of a daunting task for Lancashire, and Lehmann was delighted with his team's performance.

"It's a long time since we have won here at Old Trafford, probably too long," the Australian told BBC Northampton.

"We have played really well the last couple of times we have been here, and that was a really pleasing performance.

"We lost the toss, it did a little bit early on and we were in a bit of bother at five for 100.

"But I thought George Bartlett played one of his knocks of the year and we got a total of 280, and the tail wagged with some good partnerships.

"That was the best we’ve bowled all year, I think.

"We bowled really well against Worcestershire, but on that sort of wicket to really attack the stumps and to put it in good areas all the time was exceptional from the bowling group.

"Everyone contributed right down, there was Vasco’s hundred in the second innings, Saif Zaib’s quick 50, Procter opening and getting us a start and McSweeney doing the team things and Calvin Harrison as well.

"That set us up for a long crack at them with the ball, and then we kept at it and got a couple of big wickets on Saturday, getting the two big left-handers (Marcus Harris and Keaton Jennings), and we went about our work.

"I thought we bowled well without luck in the first half-hour on Sunday, but they kept sticking at it and got the wickets.

"Everybody chipped in, I thought Liam Guthrie was excellent and I am really pleased for everyone."

The win was particularly sweet for Northants, as last year Lancashire denied them as they batted out more than a day and a half at Old Trafford to secure a draw.

Lehmann felt there was never a chance of them repeating that this time around.

"They weren't going to do that on that wicket," said the head coach.

"That was a really good four-day wicket, and I think it was one of the better ones I’ve seen at Old Trafford, to be fair.

"It did a bit early, and if you didn't bat well then you could be in trouble, then it went a bit up and down and had some spin, so it had everything you’d want from a four-day wicket.

"The draw on wickets like that is very hard to get.

"They would have had to have played exceptionally well to bat out the day."

The win was a crucial one for Northants as the top two, Durham and Kent, both also claimed victories against Derbyshire and Middlesex respectively.

Northants' next two games are against the leading pair, with Kent coming to the cinch County Ground on Thursday (August 27) and then Durham in town the following Wednesday (Sept 2).

The County go into the clash against Kent sitting third in the division two table, four points behind the south east county and 34 adrift of top dogs Durham, who go to bottom-of-the-table Gloucestershire.

Worcestershire are now fourth and 20 points behind Northants after they beat Gloucestershire by eight wickets.