LANCASHIRE batsmen responded to skipper John Crawley's call for more runs at Old Trafford yesterday.

And at last, Muttiah Muralitharan has a total to defend.

They moved to the brink of 300 on the first day against Essex after Crawley had won an important toss and chosen to bat, the skipper leading from the front with one of three half centuries.

And with the pitch turning sharply for veteran Essex spinner Peter Such, who took six of the first eight wickets, the stage was set for Murali to work his magic.

Crawley hit 51, continuing a consistent run which has brought him 257 runs in six championship innings although he is still looking for his first century of the season after hitting nine last summer.

More importantly, he shared an opening stand of 117 with Mark Chilton - Lancashire's best for the first wicket since Mike Atherton and Nathan Wood put on 259 against Surrey at the Oval almost two years ago.

Chilton made a welcome return to form after eight innings without a 50, stroking 71 before going the same way as Crawley, edging Such to wicket keeper Barry Hyam. That was the cue for another quickfire Andy Flintoff 50, this one coming off 43 balls with four fours and four sixes, two each off Such and former Yorkshire left arm spinner Paul Grayson.

He was out just before tea, brilliantly caught by Essex's Australian Stuart Law at backward point to leave Lancashire 224-3.

The last session belonged to Essex, and Such, who ended the first day with 6-136 from 40 overs - the first time he has taken five in an innings since the fifth Ashes Test in Sydney in January.

But another man who has been dropped from that England team, Warren Hegg, steered Lancashire towards three valuable batting points with a confident 43 and looked on course to repeat his superb 94 in his last championship innings at the Oval until he gloved an attempted sweep.

When Lancs were all out without further score today Muralitharan was quick to strike to leave Essex at 33-1.

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