Keedy earns Lancs three-day win

COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP DIVISION ONE, Old Trafford:
Lancashire 389 & 4-0 beat Warwickshire 148 & 244 by 10 wickets (Lancs 21pts, Warwicks 3pts)

Match scorecard

Gary Keedy claimed only his third Championship 'five-for' of the summer

Gary Keedy produced his best figures of the season as he spun Lancashire to a three-day, season-closing victory over Warwickshire at Old Trafford.

The slow left-armer took 6-50 as the Bears were bowled out for 244.

After Lancashire had earlier added 36 more runs to their overnight 353-8 to be bowled out for 389, that left just four runs needed for victory.

And the home side claimed the extra half hour to knock them off and complete only their fourth win of 2009.

It was 34-year-old Keedy's third 'five-for' in County Championship cricket this summer, earning him the honour of finishing as Lancashire's leading wicket taker with 42 scalps.

Sajid Mahmood took two wickets as he helped to reduce the visitors to 51-3, Kyle Hogg trapping England batsman Ian Bell lbw in between for his second cheap dismissal of the match.

First, Jonathan Trott (44), then Tim Ambrose (55) at least helped put up some sort of resistance.

But, after Ambrose's useful partnership of 59 for the fifth wicket with Jim Troughton (27) and another of 53 for the sixth with Rikki Clarke (40), the end came fairly quickly.

From 215-6, Keedy bowled Ambrose, then also Neil Carter off his pads.

And, after Clarke was caught at first slip and Keedy had bowled Boyd Rankin, former Lancashire second teamer Andy Miller (who had earlier taken a career-best 4-76)was brilliantly run out from cover by Mark Chilton.

Lancashire opener Tom Smith then hit the four needed to win off the second ball.

Warwickshire began this match knowing a win could lift them as high as second but failing to get a batting bonus point hamstrung their chances.

And, should Yorkshire and Hampshire draw at Headingley on Saturday, Lancashire will finish the season fourth in the table after beginning this match with an outside chance of being relegated.

Lancashire were also keen to win this match to give them a chance of being the side with the second most wins in the division behind leaders Durham.

Before the start of this match no other county had won more than three.

Lancashire have now won four, although the other three were against the two relegated teams, Sussex and bottom club Worcestershire (twice).