Law leads Lancashire's survival bid

Lancashire 350 for 8 (Law 159, Bichel 3-56) v Worcestershire
Scorecard

Stuart Law cracked a superb 159 on the opening day of the penultimate round of County Championship matches, as Lancashire launched their survival bid with a spirited performance against Worcestershire at New Road. His efforts were backed up by a pair of half-centuries from Iain Sutcliffe and Glen Chapple, although Andy Bichel hit back with three vital wickets for Worcestershire, who themselves are in need of as many points as they can muster, given that they currently occupy the third relegation spot.

Until Bichel returned for his final spell of the day, the honours belonged to Lancashire. But then Law and Dominic Cork were prised out in quick succession to leave Lancashire gasping for the last batting point on what is a good pitch. Law's late dismissal, six overs before the close, was initially announced as caught behind, before being amended to lbw ten minutes later. His unhappiness was plain: head bowed, with feet shuffling turgidly, he was almost unaware of his ovation. For exactly five hours he had looked a class apart. Assertive throughout against Worcestershire's four-nations bowling attack, he crunched 24 fours and a six, mainly through cover.

His innings has already had a strong impact on this first-division basement battle, although aside from the prestige factor, it is unclear quite how damaging relegation will prove to be. Admittedly the prizemoney for winners and runners-up varies, but the ECB handout does not. Nor has Duncan Fletcher shown a marked partiality to top-division players. And this year the second-division teams have attracted some of the world's leading lights, in the form of Ricky Ponting, Andy Flower and Shane Warne.

After winning the toss under clear skies, Lancashire started weakly. Mark Chilton's off stump was plucked out by Bichel to leave them 5 for 1, and Mal Loye was dropped in the gully on 8 shortly afterwards. Meanwhile Sutcliffe was in scratchy form, and Worcestershire were in command. The heat persuaded their captain, Steve Rhodes, to use his quicker bowlers in short spells, and when Matt Mason returned to the attack, he wangled a fatal waft from Loye. That brought Law to the crease in hot sunshine and, like the ice-cream van to the north side of ground, both were immovable until the dying overs.

The dry, slightly mottled wicket, with balding strips of brown grass, warranted the early introduction of Ray Price, who spun through eight tidy overs before lunch. The break gave Sutcliffe a touch of fluency before Rhodes gleefully stumped him in the same over that he reached 50. Worcestershire's decision to include a second spinner - Shaftab Khalid ahead of Nadeem Malik - may yet prove crucial.

Carl Hooper never looked at ease before he fell lbw to Andrew Hall, and the pressure was piled onto Law. He was aided for a time by the debutant, Andrew Crook, who appeared casual and confident after his exploits in the 2nd XI, but he eventually played back to Khalid and was caught behind for 27. Law found a redoubtable ally in Chapple, and together they added 108. Chapple used his feet well to counter the turn and exhibited a useful array of strokes, only to fall in the final hour, trying to hit the ball over extra cover. Then Bichel returned, and Worcestershire inched back into the ascendancy.