County Round-Up: Simon Kerrigan good enough to replace Graeme Swann in the England side

Bowler of the day

In the absence of a queue of spin bowlers lining up to replace Graeme Swann in the England side, Simon Kerrigan’s claims are as good as any, and five wickets for the left-armer at Aigburth will have been noted. At 24 he has his best years to come, yet he has already claimed 136 first-class wickets in 43 matches.

Kerrigan was 0-28 from 10 overs when Gloucestershire resumed on 143-4 but took five of the six wickets to fall as Gloucestershire were dismissed for 222, finishing on 5 for 68. Lancashire took a lead of 88 into the second innings, but after Andrea Agathangelou succumbed to a first-ball duck they slumped to 62 for 5 before Ashwell Prince’s half-century put them back in control.

Batsman of the day

Nottinghamshire, so often hindered by a feeble top order, cannot shake off that malaise, with pressure mounting on Alex Hales in particular to end a run of low scores. At Hove yesterday, they sank to 72 for 5 in a familiar story after Sussex had won the toss and elected to field.

Happily, Samit Patel seems to save his best for the seaside ground, where yesterday he came to Nottinghamshire’s rescue with his first century in the Championship this year on the way to an unbeaten 157, after Chris Jordan had continued his impressive start to life as a Sussex strike bowler by dismissing Hales, James Taylor and Ed Cowan in his first two spells.

Extras

Fears that Northants’ Second Division promotion challenge might run out of steam when Trent Copeland’s stint at Wantage Road comes to an end next week were eased a little thanks to Mohammad Azharullah. The Pakistan-born UK resident seamer who signed for the club during the winter, marked his debut by taking 3 for 59 as Hampshire were bowled out for 206. Meanwhile, Rob Key’s half-century for Kent against Leicestershire at Tunbridge Wells took the 34-year-old past 17,000 first-class runs.