Sangakkara leaves Red Rose frustrated in chase for victory

GLEN Chapple says Lancashire can take confidence from their start to the season - despite failing to turn their advantage into victory for the second time in two weeks.

After having to settle for a draw at Essex in week one of the new Specsavers County Championship Division One campaign despite bossing the match for long periods, the Red Rose were left frustrated again at Surrey yesterday.

After making the home side follow-on, Lancashire were halted in their victory bid by Kumar Sangakkara and Scott Borthwick who put on 256 for the third wicket as Surrey batted out the final day to secure a draw.

The Sri Lankan ace hit 136 before he was finally bowled by Simon Kerrigan just before the players shook hands on the draw with Surrey 323-3. Borthwick remained unbeaten on 108.

Lancashire will be sick of the sight of Borthwick - a player who they were linked to at the end of last season, during which he scored centuries in both innings for former club Durham against the Red Rose.

But after two draws from their opening two matches both away from home Chapple is content with the start his side have made to the new campaign, especially having seen them recover from early trouble on the opening day of the clash at The Oval.

He said: “We can take good confidence from here and the fact we’ve taken 12 bonus points from our first couple of games.

”We had a very tough first hour in the game but from that point on have fought hard for four days and I’m really pleased with the performance.

“To make 470 on there after losing those five early wickets was a great effort thanks to that fantastic partnership between Jordan Clark and Shivnarine Chanderpaul.”

Lancashire sit fifth in the early Division One table going into their first home match of the season at Emirates Old Trafford which starts on Friday when Somerset are the visitors. Lancashire will be boosted for the game by the availabilty of England ace Jimmy Anderson. The seamer played in the opening match at Essex, but having spent the winter recovering from a shoulder injury, was told to sit out the Oval trip by the ECB, who were concerned about him playing three games in three weeks.

Chanderpaul, however, could be a doubt after suffering a hamstring injury during his century at Surrey. He is set to undergo a scan before a decision is made on his fitness to face Somerset.

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