STUART Law has the chance to reach 20,000 first class runs on the ground where he was so prolific for Essex as Lancashire return to Championship action against his old county at Chelmsford tomorrow.

But the Queenslander insists he would rather do it at Old Trafford.

"This is my home now," said the 34-year-old, who has been a big hit since joining Lancashire last year and goes into the Essex game with 19,895 runs under his belt.

"I don't play cricket for milestones, and the only reason I know I'm close to this is because I read it in our National League programme the other day.

"I guess the best place to do it would be back in Queensland where I started off, but now I consider myself to be Lancashire through and through.

"Essex was a great six years of my life and I really enjoyed my cricket down there. It was a shame that I parted on bad terms, but I only fell out with five or six people, and I've still got a lot of friends down there.

"I've got a busy time socially meeting up with old mates but obviously the most important thing is the cricket.

"Our Championship form this year has been excellent and after the way we struggled in the Twenty20, I think we're all looking forward to getting back to it."

Law has been a key part of Lancashire's prolific batting line-up this season, hitting 536 runs in only eight innings at an average of more than 75, including 169 against Surrey and 198 against Middlesex.

They have lost two of the big guns since their last Championship game against Leicestershire at Liverpool last month, with Andrew Flintoff linking up with England and Iain Sutcliffe out with his fractured cheekbone.

But Law reckons Lancashire still have the depth to cope.

"Look at someone like Alec Swann," he said. "He's one of our best batsmen but he missed out in the last game.

"Then there's Mark Chilton who has been in superb form this year with three centuries, and of course we've still got Carl Hooper.

"Harbhajan Singh's finger injury was unfortunate, but we're probably lucky to have been able to keep Hoops in the middle order."