A double gamble by Yorkshire failed to pay off on a rain-hit first day of the Roses match at Headingley yesterday when Lancashire closed on 228 for three off 53 overs with Mal Loye unbeaten on 113 and Stuart Law on 59.

Firstly, Yorkshire dropped off-spinner, Richard Dawson, in order to accommodate a fourth seamer in John Blain, but captain Craig White must have regretted that tactic as Blain was flogged for 49 runs from his five overs.

With Loye and Law putting on an unbroken 142 in 29 overs for the fourth wicket, White was probably having second thoughts about the wisdom of fielding first when a third stoppage for rain and bad light ended play for the day.

It was the fifth consecutive time that White had called correctly in Championship cricket and things continued to go his way for a while as Lancashire lost both openers with only 17 scored.

Deon Kruis produced a good ball which lifted for Mark Chilton to edge to second slip, where Anthony McGrath held on at the second attempt, and Iain Sutcliffe fell in unusual fashion, treading on his stumps while playing Jason Gillespie square on the leg side.

Lancashire did not appear too shaken by these setbacks, however, and Loye and Australian Brad Hodge made swift progress until Blain came on for his first bowl at 76 for three and had a crazy opening over.

His first two deliveries were smacked to the boundary by Hodge and two singles followed before Hodge attempted to pull and dragged the ball into his stumps. Two more boundaries for Loye off Blain took him to his half-century off 57 balls with nine fours and the bowler was withdrawn after three overs had cost 29 runs.

Loye was 69 at lunch and Lancashire 131 for three but only one over was possible after the interval before rain caused 19 overs to be lost.

Law punished Kruis on the resumption, completing his 50 off 65 balls with nine boundaries, and the return of Blain at 188 for three saw Loye complete a trouble-free century off 121 balls with 15 fours.

When more rain and bad light brought forward the tea interval, Blain's two overs in his second spell had cost him a further 20 runs and Lancashire had already laid the foundation for a big score.

Only five more overs were possible and Yorkshire probably breathing a sigh of relief when murky light turned into torrential rain.

During the lunch interval, the new Yorkshire Regiment, formed from the Prince of Wales Own Regiment of Yorkshire, the Green Howards and the Duke of Wellington Regiment, presented on permanent loan to the county club the Duke of Leeds Cup, which will be contested between Yorkshire and Lancashire in Championship matches.