A hat-trick for George Balderson helped Lancashire to an unlikely LV= Insurance County Championship win over Essex.
After 26 wickets fell on the opening day at Chelmsford, Essex required 98 runs to win on day two.
Sir Alastair Cook and Nick Browne had reduced the deficit by 24 before George came into the action. Quickly, he put a dent in the home side’s chances. Cook, Dan Lawrence and Matt Critchley fell in successive balls to George, reducing Essex 28-4.
At lunch, George’s bowling analysis read: 3 wickets for 0 runs from 2 overs.
On a pitch giving help to the bowlers, George finished with figures of 5-14-7 as Lancashire completed the win by a margin of 38 runs.
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