THERE is a well-known phrase in cricket that 'catches win matches'.

If that is so, Lancashire are already on the back foot against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge.

The Red Rose paid a heavy price when Stuart Law dropped Matthew Walker, on one, in last week's County Championship defeat at Kent because Walker went on to record a massive 197.

And it was a similar scenario yesterday when Dominic Cork spilled Australian batsman David Hussey at slip when he was on two. The Victorian helped progress the Notts' first innings to 397 with an otherwise chanceless 150.

"These things happen, people don't mean to drop catches and we have all done it at some point," stated Tom Smith, who finished the day with 3-69.

After Mark Chilton lost the toss, his bowlers looked to have helped him out of an early hole with five wickets in the morning session - 114-5 the score at lunch.

Cork (3-74) claimed the first two wickets to fall, those of Darren Bicknell and Jason Gallian. Bicknell was trapped lbw, while Gallian was the victim of a stunning diving catch by Chilton at backward point.

Strokeplay

New Zealand skipper Stephen Fleming set about restoring order with some magnificent strokeplay on the way to 53.

Smith then removed David Alleyne, again caught Chilton, before Hussey was given his life early on.

Oliver Newby forced an outside edge that looked to be nearer to Law at first slip. However, Cork failed to cling on diving across Law and away to his left.

Newby then got rid of Chris Read on the stroke of lunch, before Hussey and star all- rounder Mark Ealham changed the course of the day.

"It was looking really good for us after that first session," continued Smith. "The wicket then seemed to flatten out and things just didn't happen for us."

Hussey blasted 22 boundaries and a six, while Ealham showed why many people are touting his name around for an England one-day recall with 83.

Gary Keedy, with two, Cork and Glen Chapple all chipped in with wickets to leave Lancashire a tricky four over spell to negotiate with the bat late on.

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