Lancashire won the toss and elected to bat.

Day 4: For the third time this season, bad weather coupled with the sides inability to take 20 wickets saw Lancashire come out with only a draw in a game it looked like they could have won comfortabley. Resuming on 89-0, the home side produced the batting form which eluded them in their first innings, with Andrew Strauss going on to complete his century in an unbeaten opening stand of 176 with Sven Koenig (71).

Day 3: Gary Keedy's 6-68 ensured Middlesex were well short of the follow on target but rain meant that 34 overs were lost during the day, and Middlesex openers Strauss (50*) and Koenig (35*) managed to take them to the close without losing a wicket.

Day 2: Having been in such a strong position overnight, Lancashire needed to first ensure maximum batting points before attempting to up the run rate whilst attempting to post a huge first innings total. Mark Chilton went on to score his highest first class total but was dismissed for 119, LBW to Dawes.

Stuart Law and Andrew Flintoff then took on the job, adding 135 for the fifth wicket in 101 minutes. Law was finally dismissed caught and bowled Bloomfield just two short of what would have been his second double hundred for the County. Flintoff then became the third centurian of the innings, his run-a-ball 111 containing 12 fours and four sixes. After both he and skipper Warren Hegg were dismissed, Lancs declared on 565-7.

Facing this huge total Middlesex lost captain Strauss (caught Flintoff bowled Anderson) with the score on just 13. Sven Koenig and Owais Shah put on 81 before Koenig was caught behind off the bowling of Gary Keedy. After a break for bad light, keeper Nash was trapped LBW by Anderson for 13, and Shah was caught by Chilton off Flintoff for a well made 81. Joyce and Weekes then took the score onto 163-4 at the close of play.

Having won the toss and elected to bat, the visitors were 124-3 at lunch, with Alec Swann (45), Iain Sutcliffe (27) and Mal Loye (30) all getting starts but failing to go on.

However the home side failed to take another wicket after that, with Law and Chilton putting on an unbeaten 246 for the fourth wicket. Chilton's innings (229 balls, 12x4) was within a run of his highest career score, and goes a long way to proving he is still well worth his place in the side despite being replaced at the top of the order by new signing Sutcliffe.

Law (238 balls, 17x4) added to the hundred he made in the opening Championship match at the AMP Oval and will also be looking to beat his best score for the County when play resumes tomorrow.

Earlier in the day Lancashire decided to recall James Anderson to the side and left out John Wood, despite the former Durham bowler's excellent spell of 4-33 against Devon on Wednesday.

Lancashire, who have now started very well in every one of their three games in the competition, will be hoping to kick on and force their first win of the season in the Championship against a Middlesex bowling attack that seem to be depleated following the retirment of Phil Tufnell.