Lancashire have fight on their hands

Responding to the visitors’ 276 all out, the home side reached lunch on 120 for one, with Jake Libby unbeaten on 54.

Steven Mullaney was the only man to be dismissed, falling for 43.

Former Lancashire player Mullaney had set the tempo by punching the first ball of the innings through midwicket for four. The bowler, Neil Wagner, had happily recovered after being struck on the helmet whilst batting on the first day.

The openers extended their partnership to 86 before Mullaney departed, chopping Kyle Jarvis onto his own stumps

Libby repeatedly worked the bowling into the leg side and brought up his 50 just before the interval, getting there from 68 deliveries, with five fours.

Lancashire had begun the day on 273 for nine in their first innings, with Jarvis on 17 and Matt Parkinson unbeaten on three. Three runs were added before Imran Tahir closed out the innings with the eleventh ball of the day, trapping Parkinson lbw to finish with figures of four for 81.