Lancashire all-star attack breaks Gloucestershire resistance late on

Lancashire finally broke some determined resistance from Gloucestershire to wrap up an innings-and-57-run win with just 23 balls remaining in the final day's play of their LV= Insurance County Championship Division One clash at Emirates Old Trafford.

The visitors, who resumed on 67-3, faced the unenviable task of seeing off a Red Rose attack full of international class with James Anderson, Saqib Mahmood and Matt Parkinson all keen to prove their credentials to England's new-look regime.

But it took until just before 6pm on the final day for Lancashire to seal the victory as Gloucestershire were finally dismissed for 247, still 57 runs short of the hosts' mammoth first-innings total of 556-7 declared.

Gloucestershire's score of 115-5 at lunch became 122-6 soon after the interval when Miles Hammond, who had patiently compiled 50 from 154 balls, was adjudged lbw to Anderson (2-25).

Zafar Gohar was then clean bowled by Parkinson (3-29) to leave Gloucestershire staring into the abyss at 127-7, but they found some much-needed fight in the form of Tom Lace, Josh Shaw and Jared Warner.

Lace (71) reached his half-century from 130 balls and the eighth-wicket pair had put on 79 when Hassan Ali (3-49) entered the fray and bowled Shaw (29).

Lace found another willing partner in Warner, the pair battling for 21 overs with barely an attacking shot between them, but Lace's determined vigil was finally ended by Mahmood (2-46) with a little over 30 minutes of play left.

Warner, who had faced 119 balls for his 10 runs, then edged Hassan to wicketkeeper Phil Salt inside the final four overs to spark the Lancashire celebrations.

Ryan Patel continued his fine start to the season with a match-winning 102 as Surrey confirmed their position as