Harrison is a loan star, but stubborn Lancashire deny Northants victory at Old Trafford

A career-best seven for 119 from a marathon 57 overs and career-best match figures of 11 for 153 by the on-loan Calvin Harrison looked at times to be propelling Northants to a first win in 26 years at Old Trafford.

But Bohannon’s seven hour plus innings of 155 allied to a half century from Marcus Harris led some stern resistance from the hosts who started the morning on 126 for two and fought their way through the day to reach 351 for nine by the time the players shook hands at 5.40pm with five overs left and Lancashire 83 runs ahead.

Needing to take eight Lancashire wickets, Northants struck early when Harrison disposed of nightwatchman Anderson Phillip for 10, bowled playing down the wrong line to a delivery that turned just enough.

That proved to be the visitors’ only success of the morning as Bohannon and Harris played watchfully but with increasing authority through the rest of the session in a partnership that had knocked a further 72 runs off the overnight deficit of 144 by the lunch break.

Bohannon, 60 not out overnight, accumulated steadily before joyfully on-driving Harrison for four through midwicket to reach his fourth century in 10 innings against Northants to add to the two 50s he has scored against the Wantage Road side.

Harris settled in quickly after edging his first boundary to third man off Raphy Weatherall, although it bounced well in front of the slip cordon.

The Australian left hander reached the fence seven more times before posting his half century from 94 balls that included one sumptuously timed back foot square drive that was arguably the shot of the day.

Northants grabbed the new ball as soon as it became available after 23 overs with skipper Luke Procter ringing the changes, using eight bowlers in all, in the hunt for a breakthrough which finally arrived three overs into the afternoon.

Harris had just posted his third 50-plus score in four innings during a partnership of 94 when he was well caught at short leg by James Sales off Harrison with Lancashire 243 for four and still 25 runs in arrears.

Bohannon drove Harrison gloriously through the covers for four to take the home side into the lead halfway through the day but the bowler then removed Matty Hurst for eight via a catch at slip by Ricardo Vasconcelos.

The wicket Northants really wanted arrived 10 minutes before tea with Bohannon’s unlucky dismissal, caught by wicketkeeper Lewis McManus from a rebound off the back of Sales at short leg from a Saif Zaib delivery, and Harrison was next celebrating a second first-class five-for when George Balderson popped up a bat/pad catch to Sales at short leg eight overs into the evening.

Luke Wells and Tom Bailey (8no) took the game into the final hour before Harrison removed Wells for 39 and Tom Hartley for 1 in quick succession but his fine, valiant effort proved to be in vain.

Northants claim 15 ponts from the draw, with Lancashire taking 10.

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