Lancashire are in the process of an astonishing turnaround at Aigburth, reducing Kent to 38 for 5 at lunch as they chased 163 for victory. Glen Chapple struck three times, while Oliver Newby and Tom Smith grabbed one apiece as the visitors were left in tatters, but there's the feeling this match has more twists to come.
The new ball was vital for Lancashire if they wanted to have a serious chance of defending the target and they struck in the second over when Newby bowled Joe Denly, beaten as he tried to drive, and the opener bagged a pair. Geraint Jones was again sent in at No.3, following his first-innings 91, but this time the tactic didn't pay off as he pushed tentatively against Chapple.
Robert Key lived a charmed life, watching the ball roll onto his stumps before he had scored and surviving a huge lbw appeal off Chapple, before he was given out caught behind off one that climbed. Key didn't appear thrilled by the decision and Lancashire's tails were up. Key was given a little send-off by the Lancashire supporters, who were starting to believe.
Martin van Jaarsveld escaped a close shout off Chapple when he padded up to a straight one, but then deposited Newby over deep square-leg for six. He soon lost another partner, however, when Darren Stevens was brilliantly caught by Stuart Law, low to his left, at second slip as Chapple bagged his third. Justin Kemp then drove loosely to point to hand Smith his first wicket of the innings and Lancashire's Mission Impossible was looking anything but.
It took the tally of wickets for the session to eight after Lancashire's innings had been wrapped up swiftly, with Yasir Arafat taking three wickets in 10 balls. Chapple's fighting 45 was ended with an edge behind and a brace of yorkers were too good for Gary Keedy and Newby. Despite a better second innings the lead didn't feel like enough - that had all changed by lunch.
Andrew McGlashan is a staff writer at Cricinfo
© Cricinfo
DPRA added 0 Minutes and 55 Seconds later...
Edit, van Jaarsveld just gone.
4 wickets to win, come on Lancashire! Big win!
If he just walks into the Test team I'll be dissappointed. He's not scored any runs of note, claims he's hitting it well in the nets, but that's not good enough for a test recall. He needs some runs.
