Northamptonshire hero George Bartlett defies Jimmy Anderson in tense draw
06.04.26, 23:58 Updated 07.04.26, 00:03
Jeremy Blackmore
George Bartlett defied a vintage bowling performance from Lancashire captain Sir Jimmy Anderson (3-45) to secure an unlikely, but hard-earned draw for Northamptonshire with a valiant, rearguard 95 off 197 balls on a gripping final day of this Rothesay County Championship match at Wantage Road.
In a tense final session, which ended with men crowded round the bat, Anderson claimed his 400th first-class wicket for the Red Rose, taking 3-45 to follow his first innings 5-66 as Northamptonshire slumped to 181 for nine chasing a notional 321 to win.
But Bartlett, who showed great composure in steering his side from a precarious 63 for six at lunch, held his nerve. With a solid looking Ben Sanderson keeping him company in a nail-biting, unbroken last-wicket partnership of 32, the pair saw their side to safety at 213 for nine, Lancashire left to rue dropping Sanderson in the slips early in his innings.
Bartlett, who scored 31 in the first innings, was also well supported in a stand of 72 for the seventh wicket with James Sales (24), and 57 for the eighth with Lewis McManus (27) in 32 overs.
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