Lancashire limp on rain-hit day

Lancashire 136 for 5 v Durham
Scorecard

Shivnarine Chanderpaul, making his Lancashire debut against his former county, survived a mini collapse today as the visitors reached 136 for 5 before rain ended play at 3pm. The West Indian ended the day on 30 not out after lobbing the final ball just over mid-off when shaping to pull Callum Thorp.

After being granted a flying start by the erratic Liam Plunkett, Lancashire slipped from 52 without loss to 59 for 3 after being put in as the change bowlers capitalised on favourable conditions. The ball swung under the overcast skies and there was also life in the pitch, as Mitch Claydon proved when finding the edge of both openers' bats as they pushed forward.

Stephen Moore was first to go, caught behind for 27, and Paul Horton followed for 29 when he edged at shoulder height to Michael Di Venuto at second slip. It was just as well for Durham that Thorp was at his most miserly to counter the profligacy of Plunkett. Thorp had figures of two for 14 from 14.2 overs while Plunkett conceded 45 runs off seven overs.

When he last bowled, Plunkett had performed well for England Lions and Durham skipper Phil Mustard gambled by asking him to bowl the first over. With Steve Harmison at the other end, Plunkett conceded all the 11 runs which came off the first four overs and then saw the first ball of the fifth hooked over long leg for six by Moore.

The ex-Worcestershire man cut the next ball for four, forcing Mustard to bring on Thorp. His away swing accounted for Mark Chilton, who edged to Dale Benkenstein at third slip, then Paul Collingwood struck with his 10th ball in his first championship appearance for two years.

He nipped one back to have Steven Croft lbw for four before Tom Smith put on 36 with Chanderpaul, who survived a sharp chance off Collingwood on 10, when an edge flew low to Di Venuto's right at second slip.

Thorp had the one post-lunch success when extra bounce saw Smith caught behind for 23 when playing defensively on the back foot. Luke Sutton contributed 14 to an unbroken stand of 26 with Chanderpaul.