Warwickshire v Lancashire: Alex Davies helps visitors set up last-day duel with Bears

Warwickshire fast bowler Boyd Rankin claimed the early wicket of England wicketkeeper Jos Buttler

Haseeb Hameed again failed to impress the England selectors at Edgbaston on day three of Lancashire's day-night Championship game against Warwickshire.

In his final innings before the squad for the first Test against South Africa is named on Sunday, Hameed, batting at three, was lbw to Rikki Clarke for 23.

Lancashire went on to 178-4, a lead of 130, with Alex Davies making 79.

Warwickshire had been bowled out for 321, Andy Umeed eventually removed for 113 after 494 minutes at the crease.

He shared a stand of exactly 100 with Jeetan Patel, who was stumped by Stephen Parry, the left-arm spinner then trapping opener Umeed leg before in his next over.

Still, Warwickshire, Division One's bottom side, were able to extend their lead to 48 before Jordan Clark (4-81) bowled debutant George Panayi to end a 36-run last-wicket stand with Boyd Rankin.

Hameed had been off the field with a hand injury and, at first, that seemed to be the explanation for Jos Buttler opening the Lancashire second innings with Davies. However, when Buttler clipped Keith Barker's fifth ball to mid-wicket, Hameed emerged to suggest that the England one-day specialist's elevation up the order had been tactical.

Hameed looked increasingly assured until he played around his front pad to be leg before, extending his wait for a first-class half-century this season. Lancashire were then only seven runs ahead and two wickets down.

But Davies added 89 with captain Steven Croft until both fell to former England pace bowler Rankin. Davies first offered a leading edge to mid-on before Croft was brilliantly taken by Umeed at mid-wicket.

The visitors were again in danger of surrendering the initiative, but Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Dave Vilas guided them to the close to perhaps give Lancashire a slight advantage in a match that is delicately poised. With leaders Essex seemingly set for victory against Middlesex, second-placed Lancashire will want to maintain the chase, while Warwickshire will eye the chance for their first win of the season.

Umeed the record breaker

Andy Umeed's century was the slowest in County Championship history, breaking an 103-year-old record.

He reached his ton in 429 minutes - nine more than the previous slowest, by Northamptonshire's Billy Denton against Derbyshire in 1914.

Warwickshire all-rounder Rikki Clarke told BBC WM:

"We'll be in a strong position if we can take a couple of early wickets so we've just got to plug away and try to break this partnership with the new ball, which isn't far away.

"The pink ball has gone a little bit soft but sometimes a red ball does that. As bowlers you've just got toil away and try different things to try and get the breakthrough.

"The way Andy Umeed applied himself was brilliant for such a young guy. With someone like Jimmy Anderson coming in at you that's quite a challenge for anyone. But he stuck in there and fully deserved his hundred and Jeets stuck in their alongside him and put on an important partnership.

"There are definitely signs that we are turning things around. It's certainly not through lack of trying. Sometimes things just don't go for you and we have been in a spell like that. It will turn."

Lancashire batsman Alex Davies told BBC Radio Manchester:

"The pink ball is nice to see early on, nice and bright and pink, but it does go soft quite easily so as a batting unit it is quite difficult to get you out if you get in on a good pitch.

"It reverses quite early, similar to the white ball, but goes softer quite early. There are pros and cons but the experiment is still in its early stages so we'll see.

"In the context of the game, Andy Umeed played really well and did exactly what their team needed him to do and just dug in and put his team in a good position.

"I missed quite a lot of last season so having missed the last three-quarters of the season that made me even more hungry. I put a lot of hard hours in in the winter and I think I'm reaping the benefits."