LANCASHIRE Cricket Club secretary Dave Edmondson has hit back at claims the club's policy on fancy dress and booze has affected attendances at the third Test, writes ANDY NEILD.

Rows of empty seats were visible for the first day's play between England and South Africa at Old Trafford yesterday which attracted a crowd of just 11,200.

Fans were prevented from entering the ground with booze or wearing fancy dress or head gear deemed to be offensive.

But Edmondson has defended the Red Rose county's stance which has been branded as 'miserable' by some sections of Fleet Street.

"We know full well that the first day of a Test match is always a difficult sell," said Edmondson.

"But we have been hampered this time by the bad weather and the knock on effects of the World Cup.

"Our policy on alcohol and fancy dress has played no part.

"We operated a similar policy at the one-day international and that went off without any problems.

"We have not banned fancy dress anyway. We are just asking people to have a bit of respect for other spectators in the ground and not restrict their view."

England's bowlers can expect another hard struggle in the field today as South Africa attempt to increase their frustration by consolidating their position in the crucial Test.

Utilising a batsman-friendly surface after winning the toss, the tourists recovered from the devastating blow of losing Shaun Pollock with a thigh strain and the early loss of opener Gerhardus Liebenberg to reach an imposing 237 for one at the close of the first day. It leaves England, already 1-0 down in the five-Test series following their 10-wicket defeat at Lord's, desperately needing a breakthrough this morning to end the stubborn 212-run second wicket partnership between Gary Kirsten and Jacques Kallis.

The Western Province pair resisted all England's efforts for 88 overs with honest application and determination rather than extravagant strokeplay

But Kallis is predicting a similar scenario throughout the Test as batsman struggle to score quickly on the Old Trafford pitch.

"It's not the sort of wicket you can score quickly on," claimed Kallis, who finished unbeaten on 117 after finally demonstrating his more adventurous side by hitting Mark Ramprakash for successive boundaries to reach three figures while Kirsten was two short of his own century at the close.

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