Chanderpaul leads Lancashire charge

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Shivnarine Chanderpaul's 92 was the highest contribution on a profitable opening day for Lancashire against the league leaders

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West Indies batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul continued his fine run of form in the LV= County Championship with 92 as Lancashire put themselves in a strong position on the opening day against leaders Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge.

The 36-year-old looked set for his third century in five matches before he was lbw to Ryan Sidebottom, ending a third-wicket stand of 151 with Mark Chilton, Lancashire’s highest partnership for any wicket this season.

Chilton himself made an obdurate unbeaten 61 to follow half-centuries from openers Paul Horton and Tom Smith, but a late burst of wickets gave Nottinghamshire renewed hope as the visitors closed on 303 for six.

Sidebottom and Andre Adams, both of whom claimed three wickets, were the main threat all day, and Adams will be on a hat-trick when play resumes tomorrow.

Lancashire got off to a flying start after winning the toss with Horton taking advantage of some poor new-ball bowling from Darren Pattinson as the visitors passed 50 in 10 overs.

Horton recorded his first fifty since June, off just 53 balls with eight fours, before he was trapped lbw for 51 by a delivery from Adams which kept low.

Adams was then left cursing his luck as second slip Steven Mullaney dropped both Smith and Chilton in his next two overs, with Chilton having made just one at the time.

Smith eventually fell for 61 after lunch as Sidebottom found some extra bounce to draw Smith into a cut which was edged to Alex Hales at first slip.

That brought Chanderpaul to the wicket and he remained solid, apart from two half-chances in the 30s, when an lbw appeal from Mullaney was turned down and a rising delivery from Pattinson was edged over the slips.

Progress was sedate after that as Chanderpaul and Chilton were content to proceed at three an over in the face of a wicket offering some variable bounce.

Chilton ground his way a 142-ball half-century in the final session before Chanderpaul was undone by the new ball, with Sidebottom swinging a full delivery into the left-hander’s pads. He had faced 171 balls and hit 13 fours.

After a 25-minute break just before the close for bad light, Nottinghamshire hit back with three wickets in eight balls.

Sidebottom found Steven Croft’s edge for a sharp catch at third slip by Adams, who then removed Gary Keedy lbw and Gareth Cross first ball, caught at first slip.