LANCASHIRE duo Iain Sutcliffe and Carl Hooper both face a battle to be fit for the Red Rose side's game against Sussex starting at Old Trafford tomorrow.

Hooper is recovering from the sprained right thumb that kept him out of the county's first defeat of the season at the hands of Kent.

Lancashire missed both his batting and bowling abilities and they will be hoping the West Indian international returns quickly.

Sutcliffe, who has been in solid form this year, suffered a thigh strain while fielding against Kent in the National League on Sunday.

He batted with a runner but coach Mike Watkinson says he will need a fitness test to see if he will make the game with Sussex.

With Peter Martin still out injured, and Jimmy Anderson back in the England squad with Andrew Flintoff, Lancashire's resources are being stretched for the first time this season.

A livelier pitch is expected at Old Trafford after the slow wicket at Tunbridge Wells.

Pace bowler Sajid Mahmood is in line for a recall and should provide some extra firepower in the bowling attack.

Tomorrow's game is the third time the two sides have met this season, the Red Rose coming out on top in both previous clashes.

One of the few pluses to come out of the Championship defeat to Kent was the performance of Glen Chapple. The all-rounder past 500 first-class wickets and struck his first century of the season.

He reckons the game will be very tight and said: "We have come out on top twice this year and will take that confidence into the game.

"But Sussex are a good side and they will not want to lose to us again. It should be good game."