Northamptonshire face points penalty after pitch report

Umpires David Shepherd and Mark Benson reported the playing surface after a morning session which saw Lancashire batsman Marcus North struck on the elbow by a Damien Wright delivery which rose up off a good length. Law's well-crafted 111 enabled Lancashire to reach 281 for 8 in response to the hosts' 289.

In the First Division, Nottinghamshire's title aspirations suffered a setback on an abbreviated second day against Glamorgan at Cardiff, despite a century for Darren Bicknell. Only 33 overs were possible because of rain but Nottinghamshire still collapsed from 231 for 2 to 251 for 7 in the face of spin from Robert Croft and Dean Cosker.

Middlesex also slumped from a promising position, going from 178 for 3 to 238 for 6 against Gloucestershire at Bristol.