Josh Bohannon century lifts Lancashire against Durham

Josh Bohannon ended a long wait for a County Championship century with an unbeaten 125 as Lancashire reached 267 for five in reply to Durham’s 493 on day three in Manchester. Lancashire remained 226 runs behind at the close, but Bohannon’s determined innings and a major fourth-wicket partnership with Matthew Hurst gave the home side a much-needed day of resistance.

Bohannon’s hundred was his first of the season and his first since June 2025. It came after Lancashire had again been placed under pressure early in their first innings, slipping from an overnight 10 without loss to 87 for four. The recovery also delivered Lancashire’s first batting bonus point since May.

Lancashire recover after difficult morning

Lancashire resumed on 10 without loss but made only 66 runs while losing three wickets in 32 overs during the morning session. Keaton Jennings, who had spent 110 minutes compiling 17, was dismissed when he swept Callum Parkinson to Shaf Ghafari at deep square leg.

Two overs later, Michael Jones was run out for 11 after hesitation over a quick single with Bohannon. Ben McKinney and Parkinson combined for the dismissal. Marcus Harris then fell for 11, swinging Parkinson to Ghafari at deep midwicket, leaving Lancashire three down.

The home side’s problems deepened shortly after the afternoon session began. Rocky Flintoff was trapped leg before wicket by Brydon Carse for 11, and Lancashire were 87 for four. At that stage, Durham’s total of 493 remained a distant target and the visitors had a firm hold on the match.

Bohannon and Hurst changed the shape of the innings. They added an unbroken 78 before tea, providing a contrast to Lancashire’s difficult earlier sessions. Bohannon reached his half-century with a single off Ghafari, his first fifty since April 10. He had faced 132 balls, struck three fours and batted for 153 minutes by that point.

The pair continued after tea and brought up a century partnership, only Lancashire’s second century stand in Championship cricket since April. Bohannon completed his own hundred with a leg glance off Kasey Aldridge, reaching the landmark from 217 balls after 254 minutes at the crease. His century contained seven boundaries.

Bohannon and Hurst provide late stability

Hurst contributed 57 to the fourth-wicket stand before Parkinson ended his innings. The left-arm spinner produced a delivery that turned sharply from outside leg stump and hit the top of off stump. It was Parkinson’s third wicket of the innings, with his day-three figures finishing at three for 63 from 37 overs.

Despite Hurst’s departure, Lancashire avoided further damage before the close. Walkden joined Bohannon and the pair saw out the remainder of the day, leaving the score at 267 for five after 113 overs. Bohannon’s unbeaten 125 was the centrepiece of Lancashire’s response and represented a significant personal turnaround after his extended wait for a century.

The match remains in Durham’s favour on the first-innings totals, with Lancashire still 226 behind. Yet the day gave Lancashire a measure of progress after a season in which their batting has frequently struggled. The result elsewhere, with Gloucestershire losing to Kent, also ensured Lancashire would not finish bottom of the table. Lancashire are nevertheless set to finish 17th for the first time in their history.