LANCASHIRE'S Championship and National League hopes are still on the line after a weird weekend at Old Trafford.

First they completed a superb innings victory over Sussex to maintain their outside Championship hopes going into tomorrow's final match of the campaign at Nottingham.

But then Sussex, who remain odds-on Championship favourites with a 16-point lead, gained revenge by denying Lancashire the chance to win the National League Second Division title in front of 6,000 fans at Old Trafford, crushing Lightning by nine wickets.

Lancashire have already achieved their main objective of promotion but it means they will have to win, or tie, at title rivals Northants next Sunday to seal top spot.

"I'm disappointed for the fans who have supported us all season, because we wanted to give them a good day to finish it off," said manager Mike Watkinson after Lightning crumbled to 125 all out.

"But I'm not going to go into the dressing room and kick backsides after all the effort the lads have put in day in day out through the season."

Maybe a comedown was inevitable after the heroics of the previous day as John Wood and Gary Keedy combined to deny Sussex their first Championship triumph - at least for another few days.

Chris Adams and Tony Cottey frustrated Lancashire for an hour to suggest that Sussex could bat all day to secure the draw they needed to clinch the title.

But then Wood produced a superb delivery to have Adams caught at point, and followed up with another hostile ball which Tim Ambrose could only steer to short leg.

Then Keedy took over, taking three of the last four wickets to end with five for 61 in the Sussex second innings and complete 10 wickets in a Championship match for the first time in his career.

It was sweet revenge for Lancashire after their controversial defeat by Sussex at Hove last month.

"They are the only side to have beaten us this year so it was good to give them a hiding," said Keedy.

Lancashire remain rank outsiders to win their first Championship since they shared it in 1950, with Sussex needing only six points from their last game at home to Leicestershire to put the pennant out of reach.

But a win at Trent Bridge would secure second place above Surrey, and a £50,000 runners-up cheque - and Keedy insisted that Lancashire haven't given up hope.

"I know a few of the Sussex lads are already looking at the weather forecast so that shows we've given them something to think about," he added.

"We came into this game still thinking we could win it, and it will be the same down at Trent Bridge."

Lancashire awarded county caps to John Wood, Iain Sutcliffe, Mal Loye and Carl Hooper at Old Trafford at the weekend.