Lancashire in control despite Chapple injury

Stumps Lancashire 70 for 0 (Moore 52*, Horton 14*) v Somerset 268 (Compton 61, Keedy 3-26)
Scorecard

Time may yet tell that Lancashire lack sufficient depth to be competitive all season but so far they have done nothing but bolster their confidence. Victory by an innings over Sussex launched their season on the right note and they fought back well to clip Somerset's wings here before Paul Horton and Stephen Moore laid the foundations for a challenging reply by negotiating 20 overs without loss, Moore reaching stumps unbeaten on 52.

Somerset had gone to lunch at 129 for 2, which provides a measure of how Lancashire recovered. A good day will feel better still, moreover, for the fact that a psychological setback suffered before the start was overcome.

That came when Glen Chapple, the captain, pulled out after feeling a twinge behind a knee. The veteran pace bowler, in his 20th Lancashire season at 37, delivers wickets so consistently that it is inevitable that there is a certain dependence on him and a sense of foreboding when he cries off injured. And his nine wickets in the Sussex match merely underlined his importance to Lancashire's cause.

In the morning session, though Saj Mahmood, elevated to senior bowler, produced an excellent spell, at times it did look as if Chapple was missed. Yet the response later, in particular from Tom Smith, Oliver Newby and an unlucky Farveez Maharoof, the Sri Lankan pace bowler making his debut, was positive and earned its just reward, with a little help from another reliable veteran, the left-arm spinner, Gary Keedy. Days such as this, therefore, can only enhance Lancashire's self-belief.

Liverpool is a good ground for cricket, in terms of a balanced contest between bat and ball. Marcus Trescothick's decision to bat first looked sound enough and while he and opening partner Arul Suppiah were early casualties as the ball swung, Nick Compton and James Hildreth seemed to be well settled after putting on 98 in 21 overs, going to lunch with half-centuries under their belts and every indication that they would build on them substantially in the afternoon.

But, four balls after lunch, Hildreth appeared to loose his balance after letting a ball from Keedy pass him on the leg side, allowing Gareth Cross something of a gift stumping. The Lancashire wicketkeeper, involved in the dismissals of both openers, went on to rack up six successes behind the stumps, including two stumpings.

Somerset's confidence may have been on the fragile side, after their calamitous opening defeat against Warwickshire, but Lancashire's bowlers were no less deserving of credit for that.

The pick was undoubtedly Mahmood, whose inconsistent career has brought frustration for his admirers but who can test any batsmen when everything clicks. The bounce in this pitch was perfect for his length and was a factor in seeing off both openers, Trescothick having cut the opening ball of the match for four before edging the second through to Cross, who then snaffled Suppiah down the leg side. Suppiah was clearly furious at the manner of his dismissal and swished his bat angrily as umpire Jeff Evans raised the finger.

Keedy inflicted another vital blow when Craig Kieswetter, on 53, squandered an opportunity with an injudicious charge that allowed Cross his second stumping. Smith bowled with control, having Jos Buttler caught behind with one that found some extra lift and then seeing off Peter Trego via a top-edged pull, and Newby, who had struggled in the morning, returned to have Compton caught at backward point.

The Sri Lankan Maharoof, Lancashire's newest overseas player, who made his debut in place of Chapple, asked questions in most of his 11 overs but was wicketless, although he did take a fine catch, running backwards, to give Newby his second wicket.

Somerset did not bowl as well, although conditions were better for batting by the time Lancashire were at the crease. Moore had a life of sorts on 13 when he edged hard against Charl Willoughby and a startled second slip took evasive action, but otherwise there were no alarms and a good first session on day two should give Lancashire the foundation for a lead.

"It is a good cricket wicket where if you bowl in the right areas the swing and bounce will get you rewards," Mahmood said afterwards. "We bowled well as a unit and proved we can do it, even without Chappie.

"He is a top-class bowler who does it for us every year and it was a big blow for us when he was ruled out but the lads got their heads around the situation and responded really well."