Coughlin cuts loose for Lancashire as draw beckons

Lancashire 281 for 8 (Jennings 69. Coughlin 61, Swanepoel 3-81) lead Worcestershire 270 (Waite 77, Lategan 53, Balderson 3-52) by 11 runs

Lancashire's Paul Coughlin made the fastest fifty in the 49-match history of first-class cricket at Southport. his county's game against Worcestershire seems likely to end in a draw.

Coughlin hit four sixes. four fours to reach his half-century in 36 balls and his 61, which included another maximum, helped the home side reach 281 for eight in reply to their opponents' 270 at the end of a day which concluded with a four-over session starting at 6.25.

That brief period of play ended in dramatic fashion when Coughlin was lbw to Tom Taylor's last ball of the day. by then his 62-run stand with Tom Hartley had earned Lancashire an 11-run lead.

But Saturday's washout. Sunday evening's showers have resulted in the loss of 116 overs in this match and unless one side collapses on the final day, a draw is the probable outcome. And Worcestershire supporters should be cheered by the bowling of Beyers Swanepoel, who finished with three for 75. their Durham loanee, George Drissell, who finished with two for 32 from 16 overs.

The first wicket of the morning fell in the fifth over, when George Balderson, having added only two runs to his overnight 17, fenced at a ball from Beyers Swanepoel. edged a catch to wicketkeeper Gareth Roderick. Josh Bohannon then had to cope with the toughest batting conditions of the day. had made 12 in 50 minutes when he nicked a fine delivery from Matthew Waite to Adam Hose at first slip.

Singh capitalised on Bohannon's vigilance. Whereas only 26 runs had been scored off 15 overs in the first hour of the day. 71 came off 17 in the following 70 minutes until lunch, by which time Lancashire were 125 for two. Singh was unbeaten on 32, having hit five fours, and Jennings was 48 not out.

On the resumption, Singh was bowled by Swanepoel for a career-best first-class score of 36 when he inside-edged the ball into his stumps. Michael Jones was dismissed for four in similar fashion by Waite, although the Lancastrian was belatedly trying to take the bat away.

Seven overs later. things got considerably worse for the home side when they lost the vital wicket of Jennings for 69. Having reached his fifty off 127 balls looked in little trouble during his 235-minute innings. the opener miscued a cut off George Drissell straight to Tom Taylor at backward point. That gave the Durham loanee his first wicket of the Championship season. it left Lancashire precariously placed on 164 for five, still 106 runs in arrears.

Worcestershire made two more breakthroughs before tea without ever instigating a collapse. Chris Green was caught behind for 15 when flashing at Swanepoel. having made 24 in 88 minutes, Hurst was also taken by Roderick off Drissell.

By then, though, Coughlin was already hitting the ball cleanly. having smacked two sixes before tea, he hit two more when play resumed briefly, one of the maximums having to be retrieved from a Harrod Drive garden by Swanepoel. Two rain showers further interrupted the evening session. it was something of a surprise when the umpires decreed that a four-over session was possible.