Lancashire’s Glenn Chapple slams ‘ridiculous’ Chelsmford pitch after 26 wickets in one day

Glen Chapple, Lancashire’s head coach, branded the Chelmsford pitch “completely ridiculous” after 26 wickets fell on the first day of their County Championship match against Essex.

Lancashire and Essex, third and fourth in Division One respectively, came into the game without either having a chance of winning the title but with the incentive of additional prize money for finishing in the top three.

Lancashire were bowled out for 131, with Simon Harmer taking five for 41, but still claimed a first-innings lead of 24, Tom Bailey claiming five for 36 having earlier top scored with an unbeaten 24. For Essex, Alastair Cook’s 40 was the only innings to exceed 20. Then in Lancashire’s second innings they slumped to seven for six inside six overs, finishing