RYAN SIDEBOTTOM captured three wickets but half-centuries from Steven Croft and Tom Smith still gave Lancashire the edge after they had been put in to bat on the first day of the LV= County Championship Roses clash at Headingley.

Lancashire overcame difficult conditions early on to finish on 304 for seven in 85.3 overs as Croft (54) and Smith (51) steered them towards a respectable total.

Sidebottom struck in his second over by trapping Stephen Moore lbw without scoring and debutant Ian Wardlaw saw Karl Brown edge him over the top of Joe Root’s head at fourth slip.

Brown looked in good form until he drove too casually outside off-stump at Sidebottom to be caught by Rudolph at first slip and after a demanding opening spell the former England bowler was rested with figures of 8-2-10-2.

Paul Horton and Mark Chilton got their heads down in typical Roses fashion to take Lancashire to a respectable 79 for two at lunch.

Horton had made 36 in the morning session but he could not add to his score because with the second ball of the afternoon Shahzad extracted extra bounce and the opener was caught behind by Jonny Bairstow.

Sidebottom returned to produce a good ball which Chilton edged to Anthony McGrath at second slip for 33.

But, with rain around, the light began to deteriorate and Croft did not appear to pick up the last ball before tea from Shahzad and was yorked.

Rain extended the tea interval without causing a reduction in overs.

Smith drove Shahzad powerfully for consecutive fours and reached his 50 from 79 deliveries but he slashed at Wardlaw and was caught behind.

Richard Pyrah then trapped Gareth Cross, but Glen Chapple and Sajid Mahmood added an unbeaten 53 by close of play.