Horton praises opening partner Reece.

Horton rates his opening partner but believes he should be given more time to develop his game.

Luis Reece remains an eagerly anticipated talent at Lancashire and has been tipped by many for a future in the England team, but, for now, opening partner, Paul Horton, is keen to emphasise that he has a long way to go and will benefit from a few more years experience before pushing prematurely.

Horton and Reece successfully navigated a sticky patch at the end of the third day of their match with Warwickshire, closing on 48-0, as the openers steered Lancashire to close of play unscathed.

Last season saw six opening combinations trialled before Lancashire stick with Horton and Reece, with Reece equalling a club record of eight consecutive half-centuries as the pair flourished together at the crease.

Commenting on Reece's tender age, Horton said: "He's never played a Championship game in April, so everything's a challenge to him at the moment. This is what the game throws at you and he's adapting and doing really well. 

"It's a learning curve, I went through the same, and hopefully he can come out of the end of it do well. He scored a lot at the back end of last season but it's a different season and you have to stand up again.

"Luis has done really well since he broke into the the first team. We get carried away with people's initial performances and not realise they're very young cricketers. We have quite a young batting line-up with Luis, Andrea Agathangelou and Luke Procter young in their careers as batsmen. Your best years are 26 plus as a batter and none of them are there yet."

Lancashire's all-round success overwhelmed many an opposition last season, but their 2014 campaign still has a long way to go in terms of convincing batting displays, with their first innings of the season at Trent Bridge a particular low-point thus far.

Horton said: "It's a common fact. Last year we scored enough runs but there have been times when we haven't. That's an issue for us and we need people to step up so we can score 400+, because that's what's going to win games of cricket for us.

"Here we've got a good opportunity on a good wicket at Old Trafford, so there's no excuses. Hopefully when we get into the season we can stand-up as a batting group."

"It probably overshadowed the disappointment of how we played on the first couple of days. With the ball we let them get away a bit in the middle period and then with the bat to score 144 in the first innings of the season isn't good enough. 

"We've taken one batting point from our first two games which isn't good enough. You've got to score runs to win games of cricket as well as take wickets, so we've got to build on that and improve."

Horton's own role in the team continues to be a valuable one, with captaincy duties compounding his responsibility as one of the more experienced faces in the side and he is keen to deliver in an important season for Lancashire.

"I have got some decent scores but I haven't got a hundred yet so that's disappointing. You score hundreds and that's what wins games of cricket. If I'd got a hundred in the first innings we might have had a lead. Similarly in the second innings at Trent Bridge we might have won that game. As well as I'm happy with the way I'm hitting the ball you've got to go on and win games of cricket.

"It's what I get paid to do. My job's to score runs for Lancashire so if I'm not doing it I'm disappointed. When you're in decent form you've got to cash in and score runs, especially when you open the batting as there's not a lot you can do."

The current match against Warwickshire seems to be heading for a draw after more than 70 overs were lost due to persistent rain and Horton admits that it will be difficult to get anything more than a draw given the lack of time available.

"There's probably more chance of them winning it I would have thought. We're still behind, and a couple of early wickets who knows what can happen. Similarly to that if we can kick on for a couple of sessions and get a good lead you never know what might happen in the last session. It could be a crazy couple of hours.

"You've got to remain positive whatever you do whether you're batting or bowling. We have to be positive and try to score runs as well. We were 70-odd runs behind so the sooner we get in front, the sooner we can start pulling away, and that's the key. There's a balance between being positive and keeping your wicket intact."

Horton and Reece shared an unbeaten 48-run stand in testing conditions and with Warwickshire taking a healthy first-innings lead for their efforts, it was important to finish the third day without suffering any more setbacks. 

Horton said: "It's always tricky when you've got 20-odd overs to bat. Obviously it's rained all day, the covers have been on and the light are on so it's a good little period for the bowlers who've rested all day and get a good crack at it. We managed to get through unscathed and we're happy with the day's end."