DOMINIC Cork took seven wickets as Lancashire fought back on the third day of their Championship match with Middlesex at Lord's.

And the Red Rose resurgence continued with the bat as they reached 128 for one, a lead of 26, before bad light intervened.

But it was Cork's day as he took 7-120, the best figures by a Lancashire bowler since Mike Smethurst's 7-50 against Durham in 2000.

It is also another notable Lord's performance for Cork.

On his Test debut in 1995 he took 7-43 against West Indies and then he played a staring role during England's two-wicket victory in 2000.

He already had three wickets to his name when play started and it was his fellow opening bowler who struck first.

After Middlesex started the day on 257 for five Glen Chapple had Andrew Strauss caught behind five short of his century.

Then Lancashire's winter signing got into action claiming the last four Middlesex wickets, including the dangerous South African all-rounder Lance Klusener.

In only his third Championship match for his new team, this is already Cork's second haul of five wickets or more following up a match-winning performance against Sussex.

This time he may not have set up a win for Lancashire, a considerable amount of time has been lost to the weather, but he is continuing to show what a valuable addition he is to the squad.

Without him Lancashire would have trailed by more than 102 and after a disappointing first innings the batsmen looked keen to make amends.

Thanks to an opening stand of 75 between Mark Chilton and Iain Sutcliffe, the deficit was comfortably erased before the close of play.