Rothesay County Championship Division Two, Emirates Old Trafford (day one)
Northamptonshire 355-5: Zaib 108*, Sales 92; Balderson 2-77
Lancashire: Yet to bat
Lancashire (1pt), Northants (3pts)
Saif Zaib hit an unbeaten 111 as Northamptonshire made Lancashire toil on the opening day of their County Championship Division Two encounter.
Coming in at number six, Zaib went to three figures from 149 balls after James Sales (92) and Luke Procter (64) had laid the foundations having been put in to bat by Red Rose captain Keaton Jennings.
Those two put on 104 for the third wicket, while Sales and Zaib contributed 97 together for the fifth.
But Zaib found another fine partner in Lewis McManus (40*) as they added an unbroken 99 in the evening session to end on 355-5.
However, on the day when it was revealed Lancashire and England bowler James Anderson is to be knighted, the home attack struggled in his absence on a flat pitch.
On a glorious sunny April day in Manchester, there was a hint of surprise at Jennings' call although George Balderson, sharing new-ball duties struck in the sixth over as he had Ricardo Vasconcelos caught behind for 16.
And when George Bartlett was plumb lbw to a fast full ball from West Indies quick Anderson Phillip on his first Lancashire appearance of the summer, the visitors were 54-2.
But Procter mixed dogged defence with nine fours in his 133-ball innings in his new role as Northants opener.
He found good support from Sales who played some stylish shots as they cruised to a century stand off 168 balls.
It was ended by John Turner getting Procter caught behind with a bit of extra bounce for his first wicket on his Lancashire debut following his short-term loan from Hampshire.
And when Rob Keogh went without scoring, lbw to Balderson in the next over, the day was in the balance at 159-4.
That was when Zaib arrived at the crease and he showed why Northants were keen to hand him a new contract during the winter with some really punchy strokes, including pulling Phillip over mid-wicket for the day's only six.
He showed admirable support for Sales, who looked primed for a century only to hole out to mid-on as he tried a big shot off the left-arm spin of Tom Hartley.
But Zaib went on in the evening sunshine, in the company of McManus, as the pair took advantage of some tired bowling with the new ball.
And the 26-year-old left-hander brought up his hundred with a lovely four through point off the back foot, one of 16 boundaries in his 167 balls at the crease.
Having been bowled out in less than 78 overs in total in their defeat by Kent last week, it was a fine response from the Northants batters.
However, it leaves a lot of work to do for Division Two's pre-season favourites Lancashire to get back into things over the next couple of days.
