ENGLAND cast-off Ian Bell made Lancashire pay as the Red Rose finally got their County Championship clash with Warwickshire underway yesterday.

After the first day was washed out at Edgbaston, Warwickshire won the toss and took first knock and lost veteran Tony Frost for just a single, trapped leg before by Kyle Hogg.

Fellow opener Ian Westwood made 60 before falling, again to Hogg, but Lancashire were then put on the back foot by the home side.

Bell faced 180 balls for his 106 and looked well set until he nicked Read’s Oliver Newby through to Luke Sutton.

Jonathan Trott also made 69 and was unbeaten when the umpires called play off for the day in fading light.

Warwickshire were 256-4 from their 74 overs possible with Hogg the pick of the bowlers with 2-40 from his 15 overs.

The game marked the return to the Lancashire side of Chorley’s Tom Smith, who has been sidelined with a rib injury.