Collapse hurts runners-up bid.

Byline: Brian Halford

WARWICKSHIRE'S late charge for the championship runners-up spot imploded in the space of 44 overs as their batting folded against Lancashire.

The Bears' decision to bat first at Old Trafford backfired spectacularly as they collapsed twice, first to 48 for six and then, after Jim Troughton and Neil Carter added 73, again to 148 all out.

Glen Chapple did the damage with six for 19, reaping the benefit of bowling straight on a two-paced pitch offering inconsistent bounce.

Conditions were tough for batting, certainly. But not unplayable as Lancashire showed by replying with 126 for four, albeit as the track flattened out under late afternoon sun.

Warwickshire's hopes of pipping Somerset and Nottinghamshire for the pounds 250,000 runners-up prize rest on a huge recovery in this match.

For 9.3 overs, on a grey morning, their batting was unbreached, if uncomfortable.

Then Ant Botha's departure, chipping to square leg, heralded a collapse from 16 without loss to 48 for six.

Ian Westwood edged Sajjid Mahmood to the wicketkeeper before the Bears' two big guns misfired. Jonathan Trott, playing away from his body, edged behind. Ian Bell clipped Kyle Hogg carelessly to mid-wicket. When Tim Ambrose edged to second slip Hogg had started with back-to-back wicketmaidens.

If Botha, Trott and Bell contributed to their own downfall, Rikki Clarke was done by a grubber which knocked out off-stump. That left Warwickshire 48 for six, still one short of their lowest ever total against Lancashire (49 at Edgbaston in 1896).

Troughton and Carter rebuilt in contrasting styles. While Troughton was at his most vigilant, Carter counterattacked, starting in gloriously inappropriate fashion when, at 52 for six just before lunch, he carted Hogg into the pavilion, inches beyond the fingers of a fielder on the boundary.

Another two sixes and seven fours followed as Carter flailed 59 from 43 balls, assisted by a missed trick by the captain.

After lunch Chapple was not reintroduced until Mahmood had been clouted for 17 from an over.

When Chapple returned, he rapidly mopped up the innings with four wickets for five runs in 17 balls. Carter edged into the cordon, Chris Woakes and Andrew Miller lasted six balls between them then Troughton (48, 104 balls, nine fours) gave Philip Horton his third slip catch. Lancashire soon lost Horton, lbw to a Woakes in-ducker and after Tom Smith bat-padded to short leg and Mal Loye was run out by a direct hit from Carter at mid-on they were 45 for three.

Clarke trapped Mark Chilton but VVS Laxman (53, 108 balls, nine fours) steered his side into control against a Bears attack missing Naqaash Tahir whose ankle niggle led to Miller's second championship appearance.

CAPTION(S):

Steady: Jim Troughton and Neil Carter (inset) put together a vital 73-run partnership.