England seamer James Anderson endured an injury scare on his return to County Championship cricket, while Test team-mates Stuart Broad and Graeme Swann both risked dissent charges on an eventful first day between Lancashire and Nottinghamshire.

Burnley star Anderson was taken to hospital for X-rays after sustaining two blows to his right thumb in the morning session, but got away with bruising instead of the feared fracture and was able to bowl again in the afternoon.

Meanwhile, Notts duo Broad and Swann, also making their first appearances of the season, both reacted less than magnanimously after being given out to Simon Kerrigan.

Broad, fit again after a calf injury, contested a bat-pad catch by Steven Croft after he was dismissed for a golden duck, while Swann lingered at the crease after being given lbw.

A fourth England international, Samit Patel, had a more satisfactory day – pushing his case for the first Test against the West Indies on May 17 with 69 in Nottinghamshire’s 169.

The hosts lost Paul Horton for 24 in the last over before stumps as they reached 48-1.

Lancashire, playing a championship fixture at under-construction Old Trafford for the first time since September 2010, bowled well after being asked to field first.

Anderson was miserly, bowling 10 overs on the bounce at a cost of only eight runs, but it was skipper Glen Chapple (4-44) who did the real damage.