PAUL Horton says Lancashire were satisfied with a maximum bonus points draw in this week’s LV= County Championship match against Essex at Emirates Old Trafford.

Lancashire strengthened their grip on a promotion place with 13 points from a match which saw 138.2 overs lost to bad weather.

They are 50 points clear of third-placed Glamorgan after 11 matches, with the Welsh side having only played nine and up next at Colwyn Bay, starting a week tomorrow.

Horton, the experienced opening batsman, saw the Division Two leaders make Essex follow on in reply to 402 before lunch on Thursday’s final day, which they started at 139-5 in their first innings.

The visitors then reached 168-3 in their second innings.

“We have played 11 games and sit top of the table, and back in April we would have taken that,” said Horton.

“We have five games left. If we win the majority of them, then we win the league. It’s pretty simple.

“We did as much as we could. We got maximum batting and bowling points, and we made them follow-on in the time we were allowed.

“We missed a lot of cricket due to the rain, and I think you have to become realistic over how much time is left to force a result when that happens.

“Our best chance was to enforce the follow-on. We managed to do that, but we needed to take early wickets and keep taking them throughout the day. It was a big ask for us to take 15 wickets in the day.

“It was effectively a day two wicket due to the amount of overs lost. If it had been a day four wicket, we might have had more of a chance. As it was, they batted quite well.”

Horton also paid tribute to debutant seamer Toby Lester, the Scholarship left-armer who claimed three wickets in the first innings having replaced Tom Bailey in the team.

Lester had taken 15 wickets in his last two second XI Championship matches, and his parents had to detour to Old Trafford from Headingley, where he was expected to play a second-team match.

Horton added: “He bowled really well. It was lovely to see the expression on his face when he took a wicket, and that it really means something to him. That’s what the game is all about. It was lovely to see a guy enjoy his debut so much.”