Abbas, Dal wreck Lancashire before Montgomery cements Derbyshire advantage

Abbas, Dal Wreck Lancashire Before Montgomery Cements Derbyshire Advantage

Derbyshire’s bowling attack, led by Mohammad Abbas and Anuj Dal, wreaked havoc on Lancashire’s batting lineup, dismissing them for a mere 161 on the opening day of the Rothesay County Championship Division Two match at Chesterfield.

Abbas, the Pakistan Test paceman, took 3 for 49, while Dal, playing his first game since damaging ankle ligaments in April, matched his figures with 3 for 49. Their impressive performance was followed by a solid batting display from Matthew Montgomery, who scored 86 to drive home Derbyshire’s advantage.

Derbyshire Take Control

The hosts, who elected to bowl on a well-grassed pitch, made the most of the conditions. Abbas removed both Lancashire openers in his first spell, and Dal followed suit, taking the wickets of Marcus Harris and Harry Singh.

Lancashire’s decline continued, with Liam Livingstone edging a big drive at Aitchison, and Joe Moores being bowled by the same bowler. The visitors’ hopes of a substantial recovery ended when Dal removed Harry Singh and George Balderson in the space of four balls.

Montgomery Shines

Martin Andersson went cheaply, pushing forward at Bohannon, but Montgomery combined watchful defence with controlled aggression to take the hosts to 75 for 2 at tea. His 50 contained 10 fours, highlighting the inconsistency of Lancashire’s bowling.

Caleb Jewell was also starting to prosper before he went back to Stanley and was bowled. However, with Wayne Madsen set to resume in the morning, Derbyshire will be confident of building a sizeable lead.

Match Summary

Derbyshire 197 for 5 (Montgomery 86) trail Lancashire 161 (Abbas 3-49, Dal 3-49) by 36 runs.

The tree-lined Queen’s Park ground was the stage for Sir James Anderson and Abbas, two of the four highest first-class wicket-takers in world cricket still playing, to strut their stuff. The latter soon made his mark, and his performance, along with that of Dal and Montgomery, has given Derbyshire a significant advantage in the match.