Noman takes six as Durham pile up 493 against Lancashire
Durham piled up 493 all out against Lancashire before rain and bad light cut short the second day at Emirates Old Trafford. Lancashire closed on 10 without loss after nine overs, still 483 runs behind. The game is the 56th match of the County Championship Division Two 2026, scheduled for 24 to 27 September. BBC Sport
Only 58.3 overs were possible on 25 September. That is little more than half a full day's play in a four-day match. Durham, already confirmed as Division Two winners, had won the toss and chosen to bat first. BBC Sport
Gay shaped the innings with 141. He batted long while partners came and went. Ollie Robinson added 58 and Brydon Carse finished unbeaten on 58 to push Durham past 450 and then towards 500.
Lancashire's resistance came from spinner Noman Ali. Spin here means slow bowling that turns the ball off the pitch. He finished with six wickets for 166 runs. It was his first five-wicket haul for Lancashire, which means five or more wickets in a single innings, in only his fifth match for the club.
One sharp moment saw Shafiqullah Ghafari fall for 18, stumped by Matty Hurst off Noman after stepping past the ball. Durham's innings lasted 145.3 overs in total. That effort brought four batting bonus points for Durham and two bowling points for Lancashire, extra table points awarded for heavy scoring and taking wickets. Lancashire Cricket
What makes this stand out is the patience on both sides. Durham kept finding runs even as wickets fell. Noman kept tossing the ball up even as the score climbed.
For fans, this means a simple equation over the last two days. Lancashire must first erase the deficit. If they still trail by a long way, they could face the follow-on, being asked to bat again straight away. With weather already in play, every dry hour counts.
