STUART LAW today reflected on his maiden century for Lancashire and said: "Let's hope it's the first of many."

But cricket manager Mike Watkinson was unhappy about the lack of support Law received from his team-mates.

The Queenslander scored more than half Lancashire's runs, and if it wasn't for a typically plucky effort from Gary Keedy at the end of the innings, Sussex would have enforced the follow-on.

Lancashire had slumped to 221 for nine, still 202 runs behind Sussex's first innings total of 423, until Keedy joined Law to steer them past the follow-on target of 274.

"Stuart Law was very keen to put a big score on the board on his new home ground, and did it in fine style," said Watkinson.

"But ideally we don't want to be playing rescue rangers in the first innings.

"I'm a bit disappointed with some of the soft wickets we lost through the middle of our innings. Players who are well up to those situations just seemed to go a bit too cheaply for me."

Lancashire had made a disastrous start after finally dismissing Chris Adams for a brilliant 217 to end the Sussex innings.

They slumped to 0 for 2 after three balls, with Mark Chilton and David Byas each going for a duck to Sussex's impressive left arm paceman Jason Lewry.

Alec Swann and Law then put on 132 for the third wicket, with Swann grafting to his second 50 for Lancashire.

But nobody else reached 20 as Lewry collected three more wickets for his 21st five-wicket haul, and there were two each for James Kirtley and spinner Mark Davis.

Law, though, was masterful in a virtual repeat of his performance for Essex at Old Trafford last season, when despite his unbeaten 116 they were made to follow on after being bowled out for 226 in reply to Lancashire's 431.

His effort looked certain to be in vain again until he finally received some support from Keedy, a near neighbour just off the East Lancs Road. As Law joked, "Just call us the Boothtown Rats".

Lancashire's second team had to settle for a draw in their championship match against Northamptonshire at Crosby, with the visitors batting for the whole of the last day on a flat pitch to reach 341 for seven, and save the game.