LONDON, April 19: Stuart Law and Mal Loye hit unbeaten centuries for Lancashire on Friday to condemn champions Surrey to a day toiling in unseasonal sunshine as the English county cricket championship got underway.

In division two, international pacemen Darren Gough, back from injury, and Wasim Akram, making his debut for Hampshire, were among the wickets.

Loye, in his first championship game for Lancashire since leaving Northants, followed up a classy 81 in a one-day friendly with Durham two days ago with an unbeaten 104.

Lancashire won the toss at The Oval and romped to 391 for two with Loye and Law, 129 not out, putting on an unbeaten 222.

Surrey won last season’s championship by a convincing 44 points with Lancashire a distant fourth.

Two newly promoted sides clashed at Chelmsford where Essex were in control against Middlesex, who decided to bat but slumped to 86-6 before a recovery of sorts to 214 all out.

Ben Hutton lent respectability to their score with an unbeaten 45, while paceman Jonathan Dakin took four for 57 off 18 overs. Essex closed on 164 for four.

In division two, Pakistan’s Wasim returned figures of two for 62 off 20 overs in his first game for Hampshire against Worcestershire at New Road, where the home side ended the day on 318 for seven.

England paceman Gough made a swift impact on his return to competitive cricket, taking a wicket with his third ball when playing for Yorkshire against Northants.

Gough, out of action for nine months with knee problems, claimed two more wickets to end with three for 40 off 12 overs. Northants limped to 184 all out and 2001 champions Yorkshire, relegated last season, closed in command on 210 for two.

Friday’s scores:

(Day one of four):

Division One:

At Chelmsford: Middlesex 214 (J. Dakin 4-57); Essex 164-4 (D.D.J. Robinson 83, W. Jefferson 56).

At Trent Bridge: Warwickshire 222 (M.A. Wagh 73; C. Shreck 4-33); Nottinghamshire 188-5 (D.J. Bicknell 61).

At The Oval: Lancashire 391-2 (S.G. Law 129 not out, M.B. Loye 104 not out, I. Sutcliffe 70, A. Swann 57) v Surrey.

Division Two:

At Derby: Derbyshire 356-8 (M.J. Di Venuto 121, L. Sutton 77 not out; S.D. Thomas 4-69) v Glamorgan.

At Bristol: Gloucestershire 203; Somerset 175-6 (R. Johnson 106 not out; J. Lewis 5-34).

At Worcester: Worcestershire 318-7 (B.F. Smith 104, G.A. Hick 72, S.D. Peters 52) v Hampshire.

At Headingley: Northamptonshire 184 (J. Cook 74); Yorkshire 210-2 (M. Wood 109 not out).—Reuters