Lancashire 137 (Sanderson 4-39) and 24 for 2 need a further 422 runs to beat Northamptonshire 284 and 298 for 4 dec (Vasconcelos 100, Zain 55*)

Needing a notional 446 to win, ended the day on 24 for 2 after losing both Keaton Jennings and Marcus Harris in the final 11 overs of the day.

The morning session belonged entirely to Northamptonshire’s bowlers, who took the last eight Lancashire wickets for 57 runs in a shade less than 90 minutes’ cricket. Jennings was the first to go in the fifth over of the day when he edged a good ball from Liam Guthrie and was caught by substitute Louis Kimber at third slip for 37.

When Noman Ali was leg before to Guthrie for a single and Tom Bailey caught at slip second ball for 4, it seemed possible that Lancashire would not reach the follow-on target of 135 but Mitch Stanley saved that indignity with a six before he was leg-before to Chahal for 15. Sanderson finished the innings with 4 for 39 and Guthrie took 3 for 51. The absence of James Sales, who had injured himself in the warm-ups, was barely noticed.

After lunch, the Northamptonshire openers, Vasconcelos and Luke Procter deepened home spectators’ gloom by putting on 121 for their side’s first wicket. Procter was dropped on 39 by Marcus Harris at first slip off Shetty but was leg-before to Tom Bailey for 46 on the stroke of tea. Having reached his half-century off 48 balls with eight fours and a six, Vasconcelos notched his fourth century of the season off 126 balls with a single off Shetty. He has been one of many stars in what is turning into a memorable season for a county that has never won the Championship.

As Northamptonshire pushed on towards a declaration, the evening session also brought some success for Lancashire’s bowlers. Calvin Harrison was caught at midwicket by Shetty off Noman for 29 and the same bowler also dismissed Vasconcelos, who was caught at midwicket by Josh Bohannon five balls after reaching his century for exactly 100. Nathan McSweeney was bowled for 29 when attempting a wild swipe at Walkden but the declaration did not come until 7.5 overs later.

Left with 11 overs to survive before the close, Lancashire lost Jennings for nought when he edged Sanderson to Zaib at fourth slip and the fielder parried the sharp catch before Kimber swooped to take it. Five overs later, the home side’s miserable day was complete when Harris went back to Chahal and was lbw for 10.