County Cricket: Old war horse Shivnarine Chanderpaul slams ton, Alastair Cook hits fifty on return

London: West Indies great Shivnarine Chanderpaul proved age is no barrier to batting success as the 42-year-old made a painstaking 182 for Lancashire on Saturday`s second day of their County Championship clash with Surrey.

Already 85 not out overnight, the veteran left hander demonstrated the application that saw him score over 11,000 Test runs in a West Indies career spanning more than two decades as he anchored Lancashire`s first innings at The Oval.

Chanderpaul completed the 74th first-class century of his career before, after needing a runner following a thigh injury, he was eventually last man out after a marathon eight hours.

His innings came to an end when he mistimed a drive against England off-spinner Gareth Batty, the Surrey captain, and was caught at extra-cover.

In all, Chanderpaul faced 328 balls, including 21 fours and two sixes.

The Guyanan also shared a stand of 243 with Jordan Clark (140) in a Lancashire total of 470.

At stumps, Surrey were 112 for two in reply.

Elsewhere in the First Division, Alastair Cook made a fifty for Essex away to Somerset at Taunton in his first innings since resigning the England Test captaincy.

The left-handed opener, England`s all-time leading Test run-scorer, resumed on 39 not out and went to his fifty in 85 balls.

But soon afterwards, he chopped a Lewis Gregory delivery onto his stumps.Cook`s exit for 52 came during an Essex slump from 81 for three to 129 all out but New Zealand paceman Neil Wagner brought the visitors back into the game.

Wagner took six for 48 as Somerset were dismissed for 174 in their second innings to leave Essex with a target of 255. Cook was unbeaten at stumps, with Essex 10 without loss.

Australia batsman Peter Handscomb made 74 and former England all-rounder Tim Bresnan 61 as Yorkshire posted a total of 295 for six at Edgbaston in reply to Warwickshire`s 178, with White Rose paceman Ben Coad taking his second five-wicket haul in as many matches.

Elsewhere in the top flight, Michael Carberry was in sight of a memorable hundred for Hampshire against champions Middlesex at Southampton.

Former England batsman Carberry, in his first home championship match since being diagnosed with cancer last year, was 84 not out in a Hampshire total of 209 for four made in response to Middlesex`s 356 all out.

In the Second Division, Australia paceman James Pattinson, fresh from taking three wickets on the first day for Nottinghamshire against Durham, starred for the visitors with the bat by making 59 as they piled up 305 at Chester-le-Street.

Pattinson then took two for 24 in 11 overs, including the wicket of former England batsman Paul Collingwood, the Durham captain, as the hosts slumped to 162 for five in their second innings -- a lead of just 19 runs.

It was a similar story for Pattinson`s Victoria team-mate John Hastings.

Having also taken three wickets, in what was his first first-class match since knee surgery, Hastings too followed up with a fifty as Worcestershire made 403 to establish a 196-run lead on first innings against Glamorgan at Cardiff.

Meanwhile Will Tavare, the nephew of dogged former England batsman Chris Tavare, made 101 in Gloucestershire`s 466 for eight declared before the hosts reduced Leicestershire to 165 for six at Bristol.