OLD TRAFFORD

(day one of four: Lancashire won toss)

Lancashire 261 for five (L Vincent 58, P Horton 66, S Law 51, F du Plessis 37*; Imran Tahir four for 80)

Lunch

This looks like a good toss for Lancashire to have won.

Apart from a little extra bounce for Chris Tremlett, there has not been much to encourage Hampshire’s seam bowlers as Lou Vincent and Paul Horton added 110 for Lancashire’s first wicket.

Hampshire’s most dangerous bowler has been Imran Tahir, the former Pakistan A leg-spinner, who had Vincent caught at short fine-leg from a top-edged sweep for 58 from 69 balls.

Tahir has turned the odd ball sharply, another reason why Lancashire may be glad that they won the toss and batted first, thereby avoiding the danger of batting last on a turning pitch.

Tea

An early tea was taken after rain restricted play in the afternoon session. Horton was dismissed for 66, caught at short leg pushing forward to Tahir, who took his second wicket. That was the seventh time in 14 first-class innings this season that Horton has passed fifty, going to his century twice, with an impressive average of 55.92.

Close

With the last ball of the day, Tahir took his fourth wicket and gave Hampshire an even share of the first-day honours. Steven Croft was bowled on the back foot, ending his fifth-wicket stand of 38 with Francois du Plessis, on whom much rests tomorrow morning for Lancashire.

Although three batsmen have reached 50, none has gone beyond 66, with Stuart Law top-edging a pull off David Balcombe the ball after he reached his half-century. From a promising position of 223 for three, Lancashire have been dragged back by Tahir, who has been the undisputed star of the game.