Lancashire 350 for 6 (Jennings 114, Wells 60; Thompson 3-64) lead Yorkshire 159 by 191 runs
"The test of a first-rate intelligence," wrote F. Scott Fitzgerald, "is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in the mind at the same time, and still retain the ability to function." It may just be possible that one or two Yorkshire supporters who watched the second day of this Roses match now have a better idea what that peerless chronicler of the Jazz Age was on about.
They will, of course, have loathed the fact that Lancashire consolidated their already strong position in this game, courtesy of Keaton Jennings' first century in red-ball cricket since the Galle Test in 2018 and Luke Wells' maiden first-class fifty for his new county. At the same time there was a gloriously eventless quality about Jennings and Wells' 175-run partnership for the second wicket that even White Rose diehards might have appreciated. At least, they might have observed tartly, there were no damn-fool cut shots inside the first five overs, no Monty Python run-outs, no scoreboards from Hammer movies.
Instead of that ungodly stuff, balls were left alone or they were defended stoutly or they were nudged for singles as 57 runs were scored in the 31 overs of the morning session. Even Arthur "Ticker" Mitchell might have approved although that redoubtably miserable old bugger would have torn his heart out on the square at Park Avenue rather than admit as much.
The tempo of the contest was perfectly fitting for a contest still wreathed in tradition.
Until three wickets fell in the space of four overs deep in the afternoon session, the cricket was delightfully serene as Jennings and Wells laid the foundations of Lancashire's dominance in over 66 overs of pure concentration and hard-learned technique. Within reason Lancashire's batsmen were content to give Yorkshire's fresh bowlers the first hour or two of play, secure in the knowledge that the final session would belong to their team if they could keep wickets in hand.
The two left-handers, both of whom are 6ft 4ins tall and take up their stances with their backsides jutting toward square leg, had a clear idea of the balls that required their attention and those that did not. After an hour's batting Lancashire had scored 30 runs in 16 overs but there was no doubt which side was the happier. Patterson even tried to get the ball changed but the umpires had none of it. Later in the morning, Dom Bess held the ball between his index finger and thumb as though trying to distort its shape with the power of his will. Nothing worked. Yorkshire bowled decently in the morning session but they did not disturb the sangfroid of two batsmen who knew their roles better than any of Patterson's specialist batsmen had known theirs.
When Jennings is out of form, his malfunctions look severe enough to end his career; when he bats as he did yesterday, he appears as well-organised, albeit unconventional, as most batsmen in the domestic game. It will not have bothered him a jot that Lancashire scored two fewer runs in four more overs than Yorkshire had managed in the first session of the game. That statistic was of little account when set beside the wicket count from the two mornings, 7-0 - or, indeed, the bonus point score at the end of the day: Lancashire: 6, Yorkshire: 1.
Both Jennings and Wells showed greater intent on the resumption but their acceleration also seemed carefully controlled. Yorkshire took the new ball with the score on 214 for 1 and the next ten overs were the most eventful of the day. Jennings reached his century when he cover-drove Thompson to the boundary and he celebrated the occasion with three more fine fours in the first four balls of Coad's next over. However, he then pushed defensively at the next delivery but merely edged a catch to Tom Kohler-Cadmore at first slip and departed for 114. Four balls later Kohler-Cadmore's safe hands were again put to good use when Wells tried and failed to take his bat away from a ball bowled by Jordan Thompson.
The fact that he had played a vital part in Lancashire's dominance clearly did not console Wells. Although, like Jennings, he acknowledged the applause that came from all corners of Old Trafford he was clearly disappointed to have got out when a century was beginning to beckon. Such an approach will endear him to his coaches. There was some mystification in Hove when Wells was released by Sussex last September but seemingly little hesitation in Lancashire about signing him. The fact that he bats first-wicket-down suggests the regard in which he is held.
The rest of the day was a trifle anti-climactic although the scorers will not agree. Thompson continued to strive mightily in Yorkshire's cause, for he knows no other faith and no other way of playing his cricket. He was presented with Liam Livingstone's wicket and later took that of Luke Wood to finish with 3 for 64.
But the main entertainment of the evening was provided by Josh Bohannon and Dane Vilas, both of whom hit Bess for straight sixes. Bohannon's effort was a monster which smacked against the window of Lancashire's official scorer, Chris Rimmer, alarming this calmest of men and even perturbing Garry Morgan, his fine assistant, who is a Sheffielder and more used to such dramas. For his part, Bohannon opted to bat for Saturday morning once Vilas had skied Coad to Kohler-Cadmore and departed for 45. The Boltonian ended the day unbeaten on 47 and no doubt has plans to traumatise more Yorkshiremen tomorrow.
Paul Edwards is a freelance cricket writer. He has written for the Times, ESPNcricinfo, Wisden, Southport Visiter and other publications
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