Lancashire v Hampshire LVCC Day 3 23rd August
Ervine made 103 not out
Lancashire trial by 97 runs with 6 wickets remaining in the first innings.
Tale of two centuries
ECB Match Report
Contrasting centuries from Sean Ervine and Paul Horton meant the LV County Championship Division One match between Hampshire and Lancashire was still in the balance after day three.
Former Zimbabwe all-rounder Ervine smashed a brilliant unbeaten 103 to help put his Hampshire side in control the game at Old Trafford but Lancashire’s Horton buckled down to graft his way to 135 not out.
His second successive four-day hundred helped his side muster a reply of 296 for four to the visitors’ 393 all out at close of play.
The draw looks to be favourite after Lancashire recovered well from seven for two early in their reply but the fitness of Hampshire captain Shane Warne could have a role to play.
Warne was forced to abort his first spell after tea having bowled just three balls because of a suspected right-side strain.
The legendary Australian leg-spinner will have a scan before the start of play on Friday morning.
Hampshire had moved to 331 for eight at stumps on Wednesday, with left-hander Ervine unbeaten on 44.
But he provided the perfect example of how to bat with the tail to ensure he reached three figures in 135 balls with eleven fours and three mammoth sixes.
He only chalked up his fifty with his 92nd ball with bowler James Bruce for company. Ervine was intent on not taking the singles to a Lancashire field set predominantly on the edge preferring to just hit fours and sixes.
And the 26-year-old, who also plays state cricket for Western Australia in the winter months, did exactly the same with number 11 David Griffiths.
In fact Ervine increased the quality of his innings to starve Griffiths of the strike - so much so that when the pair’s last-wicket stand of 50 was brought up Griffiths was still waiting to get off the mark.
Lancashire’s Sri Lankan off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan had earlier bowled Bruce in the third over of the day to become the quickest man ever to take 200 first-class wickets for his county.
The 35-year-old beat AG Steel’s record of 33 matches between 1878 and 1884 to confirm his double ton in his 27th game.
West Indies quick Daren Powell, playing his last game for Hampshire before departing for the Twenty20 World Championships in South Africa, was then the early pick of the visiting attack.
He removed Mark Chilton and Steven Croft to leave the hosts reeling but Horton dug in with the help of the veteran Stuart Law (53) to give Lancashire breathing space.
They shared in a third-wicket partnership of 131 after putting on 345 for the third wicket in the recent Roses victory over Yorkshire at Headingley.
Bruce removed Law and VVS Laxman for 12 but Horton brought up his century in 212 balls with 15 fours. Luke Sutton, meanwhile, reached an unbeaten 69.
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