Lancashire fail to build on Jordan Clark’s all-star hat-trick against Yorkshire

On a day of fiercely fluctuating fortunes, Yorkshire’s formidable batting-line up faded to a paper‑army at the hands of Lancashire’s Jordan Clark at Old Trafford, when he became the fourth man to take a hat-trick in official Roses Championship history.

It was a hat-trick of epic proportions: Joe Root, Kane Williamson and Jonny Bairstow, two Test captains and the ICC’s third, fourth and 16th rated Test batsmen; with a small matter of 30,332 first-class runs, at a combined average of 47.8, and 14,639 Test runs between them.

First he had Root lbw, edging forward; then Williamson, also trapped, entombed on the crease, and finally Bairstow, who took a leaden-footed plod forward, before edging to third slip where Jos Buttler took a clever knee-high catch. Clark launched into aeroplane style celebration and zoomed over to the point where he was swamped by his jubilant teammates.

Clark completed his bowling day with the wickets of Jack Brooks and Ben Coad, to give him five for 58, his first five-wicket haul, alongside a one-in-a-million run-out deflection to dismiss Tim Bresnan for zero.

Yorkshire only reached 192 thanks to a wonderful 70 from Adam Lyth and some tail-wagging by Steven Patterson and Josh Poysden, the leg-spinner signed on a one-match deal from Warwickshire.

In reply Lancashire finished on 109 for nine, effectively 109 all out with Liam Livingstone unable to bat with a suspected broken wrist, a batting collapse of ridiculous proportions precipitated by an astonishing one-handed tumbling catch by Root to dismiss Keaton Jennings for 22. Lancashire then lost another eight wickets for 63 including four wickets for zero runs in eight balls as Coad took the wickets of Alex Davies, Tom Bailey and Graham Onions in one over.

Clark’s was the first Roses hat-trick for a Lancastrian since Ken Higgs dismissed Ken Taylor, Ray Illingworth and Jimmy Binks in 1968. Yorkshire won that match by an innings - a landmark in the moment, left behind as the game moved on. Clark may yet suffer the same fate.

At New Road, there were three wickets for Moeen Ali as Somerset knocked up 324 for nine; Steve Davies top-scored with 72. While it was an excellent day for Surrey in the first v second clash at Trent Bridge. First they bowled out Nottinghamshire for 210, with four wickets for Morne Morkel, before surpassing the Nottinghamshire score for the loss of only one wicket in double-quick time. Mark Stoneman made 86 off 83 balls and Rory Burns was teetering on the brink, 97 not out at the close.

In Division Two, wickets tumbled. Kent were bowled out for 104 at Canterbury with three wickets apiece for Ben Raine and Zak Chappell. In reply Leicestershire were rescued from the ignominy of 51 for four, thanks to forties from Neil Dexter and Ned Eckersley.

At Lord’s, Middlesex were bowled out for 236, with No9 James Fuller top-scoring with 71 before Warwickshire finished on 152 for four – each wicket an lbw. Will Rhodes finished the day with an unbeaten 53, while Jonathan Trott was dismissed three short of 50.

Derbyshire were bowled out for 260 at Chesterfield; Ben Sanderson took five for 53. In reply Northamptonshire were 74 for three. After an opening partnership of 73, wickets fell in the pink ball game at Hove, with Sussex 211 for six at tea against Glamorgan.

But there were runs at Cheltenham, where Gloucestershire finished on 315 for seven, with the only century of the entire Championship day going to Ryan Higgins, out for a 161-ball 105. Ben Stokes took three wickets, and hit James Bracey on the elbow with a fiery ball which landed him in hospital for a check-up.