REPORT | Andersson and Madsen make fifties as Lancashire gain upper hand

Jimmy Anderson gave another impressive demonstration of the fast bowler’s art as Lancashire took control of the Rothesay County Championship match on day two against Derbyshire at Chesterfield.

The former England great struck twice in his opening burst and bowled two more spells in sweltering heat to finish with 2 for 45 from 13 overs.

George Balderson was the visitors most successful bowler claiming 4 for 71 with wicketkeeper Matty Hurst taking five catches.

Martin Andersson made 79 and Wayne Madsen 70, but Derbyshire were bowled out for 261 to trail by 106 and at the close, Lancashire were 114 for 1, a lead of 220.

Anderson with the new ball was always going to be key to Lancashire’s hopes and he duly delivered, removing both openers in his first three overs.

Running in from the Lake End at Queen’s Park for the first time in his career, the 42-year-old’s control and movement was too much for Mitch Wagstaff and Caleb Jewell.

After leaving several deliveries, Wagstaff shouldered arms to one that came back and was struck in front with only two on the board.

Jewell was similarly deceived in Anderson’s next over, playing no stroke to a ball that knocked out his off stump.

Despite the conditions, Lancashire’s captain bowled a seven over spell, his longest of the season, no doubt in the hope of removing another evergreen but Madsen survived.

Harry Came did not, caught behind down the legside off Balderson to reduce Derbyshire to 35 for 3 but that was Lancashire’s last success of the morning.

Madsen imposed himself on the bowlers and with Brooke Guest adopting a more circumspect approach, the hosts recovered well to reach 109 for 3 at lunch.

But as on the first day, wickets fell after an interval with Guest another victim of a legside strangle before Balderson got the big wicket of Madsen.

The Derbyshire captain was beaten by a ball that cut back to trap him in front and Lancashire should have removed Andersson in the next over.

Anderson was the frustrated bowler, seeing an edge fly to second slip where Keaton Jennings could not hold on.

It proved an expensive drop as Andersson played positively, reaching his 50 with his eighth four, a cover drive off Chris Green,  but Lancashire plugged away in the sauna-like heat to chip away the lower order.

Anuj Dal became the third batsmen to fall offering no shot and after Andersson was dropped in the gully on 57 Zak Chappell was run out in a mix-up

Ben Aitchison lasted only three balls and after Andersson was caught behind cutting at Green, Blair Tickner swung Balderson for a big six before Hurst took his fifth catch.

Luke Wells and Keaton Jennings drove home Lancashire’s advantage and although Dal straightened one to bowl Wells, Jennings followed his first innings century with an unbeaten 51 to put his side on course for a substantial lead.