KEATON Jennings led Lancashire’s winning chase over Hampshire with a unbeaten 40, but the Specsavers County Championship victory was bittersweet for the already relegated county.

Lancashire had their relegation confirmed to Division Two on day two when they failed to reach a third batting point.

In an ironic twist, Lancashire would have stay up if they had scored 27 more first innings runs, to reach 300, after Nottinghamshire lost to Somerset.

It meant the Red Rose finished level on points with Notts but in the bottom two.

And Lancashire bowler Tom Bailey admitted that performances this term had not merited survival.

“To tie with Notts on points is gutting especially as we were just 27 runs away from another batting point," he said.

“But if we are being honest we haven’t played the cricket we would have liked to have played through the season.

“With the way we have batted this season we have deserve to go down, but it feels like a one off season.

“We have some strong batting as we proved today.”

Lancashire lost two wickets in two balls during their chase of 113 on Wednesday, as Fidel Edwards grabbed his 53rd and 54th wickets of the season.

The fast bowler found the outside of Alex Davies’ bat to edge to a diving Sam Northeast at third slip before producing a bullet delivery to dislodge debutant Brooke Guest’s off-stump.

Jennings, though, carried over the line in attacking style – carting Kyle Abbott for four boundaries in the first over.

He gave Joe Root and the England coaching staff a timely nod before the Test side fly out to Sri Lanka.

Liam Livingstone, 48 not out, added the remaining 73 with Jennings in a bashful style – with the captain completing the eight wicket victory by smashing Ian Holland over the top of the leg side in successive balls.

For Bailey, there was some personal satisfaction in an otherwise disappointing year as he finished with 64 Championship wickets, the most in the competition.

He added: “I have been very proud of my efforts this season. I have enjoyed my first full season at the club. Hopefully I can do the same next year but also win a trophy.

“I knew what I have done is in my locker. I always expected it from myself but I had never managed a full season before."