Lancashire's batsmen were yesterday bailed out by their bowling colleagues on an incredible opening day of their County Championship match with Durham at Old Trafford.
After falling to a worrying 143 all out in their first innings, on a pitch that is offering little else but prodigious bounce, the Red Rose were counting their lucky stars when they skittled the visitors for just 114.
Durham's pace bowler Mark Davies recorded career best figures of 7-33, claiming the wickets of Mal Loye, Andrew Flintoff, Kyle Hogg and Luke Sutton in a seven ball spell.
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Having earlier removed Mark Chilton and Mohammad Yousuf, he added skipper Stuart Law to his tally for five wickets in 17 balls after lunch.
Loye top scored with 39, while England all-rounder Flintoff continued his wretched run with the bat to record his second golden duck in two Championship matches.
But he demonstrated why he looks an almost certain selection for next week's first Test against New Zealand by steaming in with the ball to pick up 4-21 later in the day.
He was helped along, and probably exceeded, by international colleague James Anderson, who claimed 4-31.
Durham were reduced to 61-7, as Sajid Mahmood and Kyle Hogg also picked up a wicket apiece.
But tail-ender Mitch Claydon smashed a handy 40 to at least give the visitors some respectability.
"It was a very strange day," said Anderson at close last night. "They bowled well - but I thought that we bowled just as well, if not a little bit better."
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