Buttler in the runs as Lancashire take control.

Lancashire closed on 244-5 thanks to a 114-run stand between Jos Buttler (66) and Tom Smith (44), a partnership which tipped the balance in their favour on the second day of their trip to Northamptonshire.

The visitors struggled to skittle the final two wickets straight away, with Matthew Spriegel resuming for Northants with the same calm approach which helped to last longer than any other batsmen had yesterday.

England under-19, Oliver Stone also played with a professional temperament, particularly for a cricketer of such a tender age, facing 75 balls to deny Lancashire an easy morning session.

Their stand worth 39, in the context of a low-scoring match, proved to be vital for Northants, before Tom Smith (2-26) removed both batsmen, with the hosts leading by 45 runs.

With a first innings lead of 45 Northants were nicely placed to placed to put early pressure on Lancashire, but the visitors were able to reach lunch unscathed at 21-0.

But shortly after the interval Luis Reece (10) continued his struggle in the first division, hooking the ball to deep square leg and the loss of Andrea Agathangleou for a seven-ball duck put Lancashire on the back foot at 31-2.

With a deficit of 14 runs, experience was needed in order to quell the appearing threat which had been put before Lancashire and in Paul Horton and Ashwell Prince the visitors were able to put the game back in the balance.

Their 78-run stand for the third wicket ensured that Lancashire would not be humiliated at the ground which they had won so easily last season, as Horton demonstrated the application which served him well against Warwickshire in the previous fixture.

But the removal of Prince (47) proved to be a key breakthrough, with Andrew Hall picking up his second wicket of the innings, as the South African batsman was stumped by David Murphy.  

One wicket seemingly brought another as Luke Procter was sent back by Horton, but was unable to make his ground, as he became the second Lancashire batsmen to be removed for no score.

The loss of Horton (48) exacerbated Lancashire's misery, but the sixth-wicket partnership between Buttler and Smith was exactly what the visitors needed and ensured that they would close in a better position than they had started the day.

Lancashire finished on 244-5 with a lead of 114 and will now want to seize an enticing opportunity to collect their first win of the season, a position they couldn't have imagined after being bowled out for 119 in their first innings.