A Mark Chilton century helped Lancashire to a par score in their Benson and Hedges Cup semi-final with Warwickshire at Old Trafford. The Lancashire innings spluttered, stuttered and generally failed to get above third gear in their 211 on a slow, low track. The home side were not particularly at fault, the pitch was not conducive to stroke-play, and the final total was, in many ways, an admirable recovery from 37-3.

Chilton's 101 was a study in concentration, the opener cautious throughout. It was an excellent knock, he clearly realised his, and the pitch's, limitations and batted accordingly. He hit four boundaries – there were only eleven in the whole innings – in his 146 ball knock. Chilton found a willing ally in Andrew Flintoff, who batted with the maturity that some think he lacks, in a partnership of 89 from 126 balls.

With the country gripped by football fever, a sparsely populated Old Trafford saw Warren Hegg choose to bat after winning the toss. Even those at the ground were, perhaps unsurprisingly, more interested in David Beckham's penalty than Chilton's studious approach.

Lancashire struggled to come to terms with a slow, low pitch. Though Shaun Pollock was superbly miserly, it was left-armer Neil Carter who made the initial breakthroughs. Carter, a pseudo Englishman playing on a British Passport, removed Neil Fairbrother and Glen Chapple. Fairbrother's tortured stay was terminated with an upper cut, Ian Bell taking a fine running catch at third man. Chapple, pinch-hitting, sparred at a wide one, and was neatly taken by keeper Tony Frost low to his right.

The prize wicket was Stuart Law's, although the Australian began with some ominous timing. He crashed two off-side boundaries before being caught brilliantly by skipper Powell, one-handed in the gully. Through everything, Mark Chilton batted calmly, despite being dropped on 37 by Neil Smith. Flintoff blasted a straight drive to the boundary before settling down.

The pair chugged along, Flintoff showing another side to his character to bat with the patience needed. Smith and Ashley Giles exerted enormous control, racing through their overs. Chilton, in particular, struggled to come to terms with the spinners, and was lucky not to be trapped leg before on several occasions. Still, he passed 50, and utilised a chip shot down the ground and short of the boundary fielders to excellent effect. Flintoff was more agricultural, hitting Giles straight for six before an ill-judged slog proved fatal in the next over, Nick Knight claiming a low catch at mid-wicket.

Graham Lloyd tried every version of the reverse sweep in an entertaining 18, adding fifty with Chilton. Hegg edged two boundaries before Pollock grabbed an easy caught and bowled. Pollock closed out the innings with a series of yorkers, finishing with 4/27 from his ten. He finally accounted for Chilton, then bowled Kyle Hogg first ball.

Worryingly for England and Warwickshire, Giles limped off the field after being allowed a substitute. He appeared to have been struggling with a calf injury.

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