County Championship: Sundar checks Northamptonshire progress against Lancashire

Washington Sundar has played four Tests, four one-dayers and 31 T20 games for India

Rob Keogh and Lewis McManus both scored half-centuries to put the heat on Lancashire's bowlers after they threatened to run through Northamptonshire on day one of their County Championship match at Wantage Road.

Some tight and disciplined bowling from Lancashire's attack had reduced the home side to 124-5 in temperatures approaching 40 degrees.

But Keogh led the counter attack, striking six fours as he passed 5,000 career runs in first-class cricket and he found a willing partner in McManus as the pair shared a 77-run partnership in 18 overs to take the total past 200.

However Lancashire made further inroads before the close with India's Washington Sundar claiming four wickets for 69.

He removed Keogh thanks to a stunning one-handed slip catch from Luke Wells, while Tom Taylor was trapped lbw attempting a reverse sweep.

McManus reached his fourth half-century of the season shortly before the close as Northamptonshire finished on 218-7.

• Relive the opening day's play in the County Championship as it happened

Earlier, on a day reduced to 72 overs because of the extreme heat, the hosts' top order failed to capitalise after winning the toss and deciding to bat, despite most making good starts.

New captain Will Young saw off the new ball but fell cheaply for two to Sundar's second delivery when he edged an attempted cut shot behind.

Ricardo Vasconcelos, who stood down as captain ahead of this game, survived an early let-off, and was soon driving down the ground for four and playing through extra cover for another boundary.

He he survived a strong appeal on 23 when Luke Wood got one to nip back, but the left-armer got his man in his next over though when Vasconcelos flashed loosely outside off stump and steered the ball straight to second slip.

It was a testing, fiery spell either side of lunch from Wood who troubled the batters by pitching the ball up, mixed in with some well-directed short deliveries.

Emilio Gay, fresh from a century at Canterbury last week, made the most of the fast outfield with five boundaries before lunch and also stepped down the pitch to dispatch Sundar high into the Lynn Wilson Stand.

Scoring slowed considerably after the interval in the face of some disciplined Lancashire bowling which soon reaped rewards when Procter was adjudged lbw to Will Williams for 19, struck on the pads attempting to work a ball to leg.

Williams picked up a second wicket when Gay (35) - who had added just three runs in an hour's play after lunch - drove loosely and Rob Jones took a sharp catch at second slip.

But Keogh was positive from the outset and although he played and missed at consecutive balls from Williams, he was severe on the slow bowlers.

He played a perfectly-timed backfoot punch for four off Sundar and then smashed two deliveries from Matt Parkinson through extra cover.

He combined with Ryan Rickelton in a stand of 43 but the South African fell on the stroke of tea for 22 when Sundar rapped him on the pads as he played back in his crease.

McManus was equally aggressive against Parkinson, sweeping him for four and smashing him down the ground for two further boundaries.

Keogh and McManus kept the scoreboard ticking over, taking the ones and twos on offer and reaching the ropes whenever the bowlers strayed in line or length.

Lancashire eventually turned back to the off-spin of Sundar, who duly made the breakthrough to leave Lancashire on top.

McManus who struck Luke Wells down the ground for six in the closing overs will be key if Northamptonshire are to try to push on towards 300 on the second morning.

Report supplied by the ECB Reporters' Network.