Mal Loye and VVS Laxman both recorded hundreds to help Lancashire push for a County Championship victory against Yorkshire at Old Trafford today.

The pair shared a third-wicket partnership of 225 in 64 overs and were the mainstays of Lancashire's first innings total of 489 for five declared in reply to the visitors' 181 all out.

It was only the second time in 29 LV Division One matches that Lancashire had managed to claim the maximum of five batting bonus points for reaching 400 - and it was mainly thanks to 146 from Loye and 109 from Laxman.

It was another horror day at the office for the White Rose county but they will bowl worse than this and gain more reward.

Lancashire declared with a lead of 308, allowing themselves a minimum of 121 overs to bowl the visitors out for victory. They managed 25 of them tonight and restricted Yorkshire to 71 for two at the close.

Leg-spinner Adil Rashid, who was their worst bowler on show despite improving during the afternoon session, claimed two of the three wickets to fall in the day. He bowled Loye in the 116th over of the innings and had Laxman caught at slip by Jacques Rudolph six overs later.

Loye set the tone by clubbing Rashid for a towering straight six off just the third ball of the day and reached his first century since April 2007 off 158 balls with a square four off Tim Bresnan.

Loye hit a total of 18 fours and two sixes in his 234-ball stay at the crease. This was Laxman's third century for Lancashire and his highest score.

While Loye, 36, was composed throughout his knock, Laxman's innings was full of his famous elegance.

But, with Lancashire needing 15 runs off the 120th over to reach 400, Laxman opened up to clobber Rashid for the runs required. The 34 year-old hit 13 boundaries in 207 balls.

Ajmal Shahzad, who was tight along with Matthew Hoggard and Bresnan, finally got his reward when Francois du Plessis (18) was well caught by Joe Sayers at short cover in the 127th over.

That left Lancashire at 426 for five before Mark Chilton (38 not out) and stand-in captain Luke Sutton (30 not out) shared an unbroken 63 in 11 overs before declaring.

Bresnan finished with the pick of the figures with one for 90 from 34 overs but Rashid was expensive as he recorded two for 126 from 27.

Yorkshire then made a bad start to their second innings as Sajid Mahmood forced Joe Sayers to edge to Laxman at second slip in the fifth over and Tom Smith trapped Anthony McGrath lbw 10 overs later.

Rudolph finished the day 33 not out and Andrew Gale reached 17. Yorkshire are still 237 runs behind.