Lancs in hunt for league double (9 Aug 1997)

9 August 1997

Lancs in hunt for league double

Lancashire Evening Telegraph

FORMER knockout kings Lancashire are bidding for league glory on two fronts. They have been in the running for the Sunday League all season and could move clear top with victory over Warwickshire at Old Trafford tomorrow.

And their thrilling three wicket championship win at Blackpool yesterday has taken them to the fringes of the closest title race for years.

They are now joint fifth with Warwickshire and Yorkshire, 22 points behind leaders Glamorgan having played a game more.

Lancashire are the form team, with four wins out of five, and another victory in their next game against lowly Derbyshire starting next Friday would fire them right into contention.

Yet it could have been so different as Warwickshire staged an amazing fightback at Blackpool.

First they recovered from 98-6 to 310 all out with Ashley Giles punishing some sloppy fielding to hit 72 and share a ninth wicket stand of 107 with Tony Frost.

Then Lancashire, needing only 88 to win, were reduced to 45-6 with five wickets for impressive Warwickshire all rounder Graeme Welch.

But young opener Nathan Wood survived the wreckage and was joined by Warren Hegg to take Lancashire to within 21 runs of victory. With his father Barry watching nervously from a deck chair, Wood battled almost three hours for 26 precious runs - his best innings for Lancashire so far, even though he made half centuries in his last two appearances.

Hegg and Gary Yates then steered Lancashire home with the most confident batting of the innings. "The way we played was a reflection of the will to win in the team," said coach Dav Whatmore.

"I am very proud of them. I was especially pleased for Nathan. We have always known he has good technique and to couple that with occupation of the crease in such circumstances showed a good temperament."

Wood could miss out on tomorrow's match, especially with Andy Flintoff set to return to contention after smashing a rapid century to take his England under 19 side to the brink of a crushing victory over Zimbabwe today.

Mark Chilton is also expected to return in place of Mark Harvey while Warwickshire have wicket keeper Keith Piper and veteran seamer Gladstone Small likely to replace Frost and Mark Wagh.

Lancashire have organised a "salute to the champions" parade with players from Bolton, Bury, Wigan, Macclesfield, Stockport and St Helens Rugby League led around the ground by a jazz band before the start. Manchester United will also send the Premiership trophy although their players will be busy at Tottenham.

Lancashire are hoping that the champion feeling rubs off on them.

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