Hooper’s Lancashire stalled by weather

MANCHESTER: Carl Hooper’s Lan-cashire were denied any play — by rain — on the third day of the English County Championship match they are dominating against Warwickshire yesterday. Hooper scored 35 on Wednesday’s opening day and Lancashire piled up 575 for six declared on Thursday. Warwickshire were reeling at 192 for eight in reply at stumps with Ian Bell (48) the top scorer. Australian Stuart Law smashed an unbeaten 236 and Glen Chapple scored 132 in Lancashire’s total, and pacer Chapple returned to capture four for 43 to unsettle Warwickshire’s reply. Off-spinner Hooper, who replaced injured Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh as Lancashire’s overseas professional for the summer, claimed two wickets for 42 runs off 13 overs.