Lancashire pair face tests (31 Aug 1998)

31 August 1998

Lancashire pair face tests

The Lancashire Evening Telegraph

Mike Atherton and John Crawley are Lancashire's doubts as they continue to bid for the treble at Old Trafford tomorrow.

They face Derbyshire in a championship match at Old Trafford which is much more than a dress rehearsal for Saturday's NatWest Trophy final.

Lancashire are still in the thick of the championship race, 23 points behind leaders Surrey with three games to play.

And they will be hoping that Yorkshire can give them another helping hand.

The Tykes put Lancashire in pole position in the Axa League race yesterday by shocking Essex at Headingley.

That result means that Lancashire need only win their remaining games - against Hampshire at Old Trafford next Monday and then Notts at Trent Bridge in a day-night match two days later - and they will be guaranteed the title.

Tomorrow Yorkshire play Surrey in the championship and another win would be a real boost both for Lancashire and second placed Leicestershire, who play Surrey at the Oval in the last round of matches.

Lancashire will wait until tomorrow morning before finalising their team to see how Crawley has come through the Test at the Oval.

Atherton was ruled out of facing Sri Lanka with a back problem but Lancashire are hopeful that he will have recovered sufficiently to play his part as the title race goes down to the wire.

Source :: Lancashire Evening Telegraph (https://www.reednews.co.uk/let/)