ONLY 25.4 overs were possible on the first day of Essex’s clash against league leaders Lancashire at Old Trafford.

But it was enough time for Liam Dawson to make a good impression in his first game for Essex since his month-long loan from Hampshire was agreed.

Introduced into the attack in the 18th over of Lancashire’s first innings, slow left-armer Dawson had Alviro Petersen leg before for 14 with his third ball and then bowled Ashwell Prince for 21 with the first ball after lunch when the prolific South African bottom-edged a pull onto his stumps.

That left Lancashire on 92 for four but the home side had added only four more runs before the rain which had threatened for most of the morning set in with a vengeance and play was called off for the day half an hour after it returned at 4.45.

Yet Essex‘s bowlers still had good cause to be happy with their work after James Foster had lost the toss and been asked to field first. James Porter dismissed both openers in an impressive spell with the new ball and the visitors held the advantage after the opening day.

The session had begun well for the home side with both Paul Horton and Karl Brown playing some fine shots in front of the wicket as they put on 48 in just 8.2 overs either side of the day’s first shower.

However, Porter changed all that in his fifth over when he had Horton caught by Jesse Ryder at first slip for 25. Just two balls later, the Essex seamer extracted a little more bounce from the Old Trafford wicket than Brown was expecting and the opener edged the ball to Dawson at second slip.

Brown’s dismissal for 18 left Lancashire on 49 for two but Petersen and Prince had taken the score to 73 before Petersen was uncontroversially leg before on the back foot to Dawson.

Lancashire were 92 for three at lunch but only 2.4 overs were possible in the remainder of the day before persistent rain forced the players off the field and caused an early tea to be taken just before 3.30pm.

In the brief session of play that was possible, however, Essex strengthened their position when Dawson bowled Prince for 21 with the first ball after lunch.

The dismissal may have been fortuitous but Dawson was not complaining.

About 10 minutes later the players were making their way back to the pavilion with Steven Croft on nine not out and Alex Davies unbeaten on four. At that stage Dawson’s figures read 4.4-2-7-2.

Afterwards Dawson said: “It was nice to make an impact straight away and nice to get a bit of spin out of the wicket as well. It was a decent day for us to get four wickets on day one in only a few overs. Hopefully, we’ll get a full day tomorrow and try to bowl them out as quickly as we can.”