Scott Read
BBC Radio Lancashire
Lancashire lost by an innings four times last season, three of which came in consecutive games.
Heading into this season, starting as one of the favourites for promotion, most Lancashire ers would have expected those defeats to be a thing of the past.
However, the Red Rose will have to show a great deal more with the bat second time round in this match to prevent an early season flash back to last summer.
Just preventing a defeat, by an innings or not, is an even tougher ask for Keaton Jennings side.
Batting first, Northamptonshire showed the pitch isn't offering a great deal of threat, perhaps the on loan leg-spinner, Calvin Harrison could hold the key.