Prince takes the crown.

Another Wednesday, another 'listed match' and another train journey, but this time in the sure and certain knowledge that a lovely day was in prospect; the 8:40 from York bore me to Liverpool and when I walked into the ground shortly after Lancashire had won the toss and decided to bat a very reasonable crowd was already gathered. Despite the increased opportunities afforded by the developments at Old Trafford this was my first visit to Aigbuth for two years. Lancashire are playing four championship matches here this season and the current encounter with Middlesex is the third of these. I spent the day in the company of several locals who have joined Liverpool CC for the season at a fee of £50 and although some time in the first two games was lost to weather with a concessionary charge of £12 for a day's play they will almost certainly be in profit, especially as the beer in the members' pavilion is 50p a pint cheaper than at the public bar. Yesterday's sunshine seemed to inspire one gentleman in particular to make inroads into any outstanding deficit.
Horton and Moore opened for Lancashire and made slow but generally unruffled progress against Murtagh and Collymore but a foolish run out separated the pair on 36, Brown followed second ball and when Moore was unlucky to be caught at long leg by Eoin Morgan, unlucky in the sense that Morgan (who believes there is too much county cricket) was playing only his second championship game since 2009. Now at 55 for 3 a bit more of the gloss of Lancashire's 2011 championship had been worn away and some supporters were predicting  a repetition of the batting form that has seen them pass two hundred only once at Aigbuth this season.
By mid afternoon Prince and Croft had done much to dispel this feeling of gloom, for although progress,not helped by a slowish outfield, stubbornly remained below three an over there was a solidarity about the batting and before tea the pair brought up their century partnership. The lunch and tea intervals gave me the chance to walk round the ground and I recognised pcws from both sides of the Pennines, including some 'Jim the Dog' luncheon club devotees.
The partnership was finally broken when Croft was caught behind from Murtagh's first delivery with the second new ball but Procter assisted Prince through to the close at 276 off the daily ration of 96 overs, still a little below three an over.Prince will resume on 121 this morning and with more good weather forecast Lancashire will be hopeful of more batting points. But there again my prediction that Yorkshire II would enjoy a profitable day's batting at York yesterday were  far off the mark and instead they lost 18 wickets in the day to leave my plans to return to Clifton Park today in disarray.
I left just after 5:30 to catch the 6:22 back to York but during an enjoyable day I learned a useful wrinkle for those traveliing by train to Liverpool to watch cricket: that is to book to Liverpool Parkway South rather than Lime Street and catch the 82 bus which runs frequently and stops at the ground. Had I done this yesterday I think I would have been in the ground for the start of play and been able to stay a little longer and yet been home at the same time.
In terms of my 'listed matches' seeing Lancashire play Middlesex for the first time in the championship leaves the score at 130 down, 23 to go. The early season rush is over and my next opportunity does not arise until August when Leicestershire entertain Hampshire.