Lancashire sliding towards defeat

By stark comtrast, Warwickshire took a giant stride towards safety by reducing Lancashire to 72 for six at lunch on the final day of their Specsavers County Championship match.

Chasing a notional 347 Lancashire, having resumed on 28 for three, lost three wickets in the morning to leave them staring at a defeat which will send them down to Division Two if Hampshire beat Durham in Southampton.

Needing a massive rearguard action, the visitors started doggedly as overnight pair Haseeb Hameed and nightwatchman Simon Kerrigan survived for 50 minutes.

But Chris Wright broke through when Hameed (27, 78 balls, four fours) was brilliantly caught by Rikki Clarke at second slip.

Clarke then struck with his first ball, which Steven Croft bat-padded to Sam Hain at short-leg.

When Liam Livingstone edged Jeetan Patel to Jonathan Trott at second slip, Lancashire were in deep trouble - and deeply grateful for the resolve of Kerrigan who went into lunch still unbeaten on 10 from 112 balls (no fours, no sixes).

At lunch Durham were 45 for no wicket, needing a further 254 for victory against Hampshire.