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Day 1: Century saviours

Lancashire were saved by centuries from Nathan Wood and Chris Schofield after running into trouble against the Boland Academy in South Africa yesterday.

The first day of a three-day match again exposed some fragile Red Rose batting after their struggle against the Western Province Academy earlier in the week. Captain John Crawley went cheaply for the third time on the tour, and Lancashire slipped to 131-6 before the steady Wood and the aggressive Schofield turned the tables, linking up in a stand of 164.

Wood crafted 126 off 255 balls with 17 fours and Schofield, better known for his leg-spin talent although also a useful left-handed batsman, cracked an unbeaten 100 from 133 balls with 13 fours. Thanks to the seventh wicket pair, Lancashire declared at 333-7 - and they got further encouragement when the Academy replied. Mike Atherton, trying to boost his World Cup fitness, guested for the South Africans and hammered an unbeaten 27 in their 39-1 off nine overs.

The only wicket to fall went to promising young seamer Mike Smethurst, his first as a Lancashire pro.

Scores:

1st innings - Lancashire 333-7 dec (Wood 126, Schofield 100no), Boland Academy 39-1 (Atherton 27 no).

Day 2: Crawley form

John Crawley hit form as Lancashire grabbed a stranglehold of their second tour match in South Africa.

The Red Rose captain hammered 91, following disappointments in his previous three innings.

And Lancashire were able to declare leaving Boland Academy with the virtually impossible task of scoring 381 to win. The South Africans, for whom Mike Atherton and Gary Keedy are guesting, went into the final day today on 22-2.

Crawley was desperate for runs after scoring only 32 on the tour and he responded superbly, dominating the Boland attack after left-arm spinner Keedy had made a double breakthrough by sending back both openers Nathan Wood and Mark Chilton. Keedy finished with 3-78 from a 20 overs stint, encouraging figures for a player who will have to battle all the way this season to earn and keep a place in a spin attack also containing Chris Schofield, Gary Yates, Mike Watkinson and, of course, Muttiah Muralitharan.

Lancashire declared at 188-6, and new boy Mike Smethurst quickly plunged Boland into trouble with two wickets. Earlier Boland had slumped to 141 all out in their first innings, with only Atherton showing any resistance with a half century.

Scores:

1st innings: Lancs 333-7 dec (Wood 126, Schofield 100no), Boland 141 all out (Atherton 50); 2nd inns: Lancs 188-6 (Crawley 91, Harvey 32), Boland 22-1 (Atherton 14no).

Day 3: Lancs crush Boland

Lancashire crushed Boland Academy by 216 runs to record their second successive win in South Africa.

Mike Watkinson grabbed 5-33 off nine overs as the South Africans tumbled to 164 all out after being set a target of 381.

Mike Atherton, guesting for the Academy, hit 44 to add to his first innings 50 before falling for the second time in the game to Lancashire's young leg spinner Chris Schofield.

Scores:

1st innings: Lancs 333-7 dec (N Wood 126, C Schofield 100no), Boland 141 all out (M Atherton 50); 2nd inns: Lancs: 188-6 dec (J Crawley 91, M Harvey 32), Boland 164 all out (Atherton 44, M Watkinson 5-33).