Bolton duo Haseeb Hameed and Matt Parkinson star in County Championship

After scoring his first century since April 2019 in Nottinghamshire’s first innings against Worcestershire, Hameed made it two in as many days with an undefeated 114.

The opener’s form fell off a cliff after three promising Test appearances in India five years ago but by posting back-to-back tons and helping his side bat out for a draw at New Road, hopes are climbing sharply for this new chapter.

He and Ben Slater, who also made 114 not out, made an unbroken opening stand of 236 in 109 wearying overs for the hosts with Hameed batting more than 13 hours in the match.

In facing 635 deliveries across the match, the 24-year-old set a new Championship record – outlasting Jamie Cox’s 1999 effort for Somerset by 10 balls.

"Just as we were about to follow-on Ben Duckett told me it was an opportunity to go out and get another century," said Hameed.

"Peter Moores said the same not long after but it's a great leveller when you go out there and the scoreboard says '0'.

"Thankfully, though, I was able to start again and go through the processes again.

"It wasn't overly difficult to focus again because I was disappointed I'd got out in the first innings and I was in the moment as soon as they asked us to go out there again."

Parkinson was the star of the show at Canterbury, taking career-best figures of 7-126 as Lancashire hammered Kent by an innings and five runs.

Bolton leg spinner Matt Parkinson

The leg-spinner, an ever present figure in England’s long and arduous winter without once taking the field, sent down 52 overs in the second innings and turned a mammoth workload into a match-winning shift for the Group Three leaders.

Zak Crawley, lbw for 36 early in the day, was the prize scalp as Kent were finally dismissed for a battling 351.

The resistance suffered a killer blow when another Bolton star, Josh Bohannon, dismissed Daniel Bell-Drummond with just six added to his overnight 108.

Parkinson said: “It was probably the best four-day win I’ve had.

“Obviously I think a few of us will get the headlines but I think Josh’s wicket of Daniel Bell-Drummond was massive and yet we fielded for 130 overs I think and there were times when we did doubt that we would win, but I think that’s part of the attitude of the team now that on any surface, with any score, we’d back our bowlers.”

Having not made a Championship appearance since September 2019 before this season, Parkinson admitted he was delighted to get a sustained chance with the red ball in hand.

And to get wickets away from home, with Emirates Old Trafford pitches known for helping spin, was another bonus.

“It was a long stint, I think last week got me ready (for it) and to bowl 50 was awesome,” he said.

“I think I bowled two full sessions, so for Dane (Vilas, captain) to trust me for that length of time and for me to perform in those overs was amazing, so I’m just pleased to get the win.

“It was nice to get two wickets in the first innings, I think that probably calmed me down a bit.

“I think coming into this game I was a bit nervous, about going from Old Trafford which I’m used to, to a very flat surface but I relaxed into a long spell.

“They played well, (Jordan) Cox and Bell-Drummond, but I think it’s testimony to the energy that we’ve got at the minute, it’s a massive change from what I’m used to in this Lancashire side for us to have that belief.

“From 200-1, I don’t think many teams in the country would have won from there.”