NEIL FAIRBROTHER is aiming to make more history as his farewell tour moves to Canterbury tomorrow.
A century in the Championship game against Kent would complete a full set for Fairbrother, who turned 39 yesterday and has already reached three figures against the other 16 first class counties.
That would be an appropriate way for Harvey to sign off, as he made his debut against Kent as an amateur way back in 1982.
But he may also play in Lancashire's last Championship game of the season against Somerset the following week in Taunton - which has always been one of his happiest hunting grounds, with five centuries.
Manager Mike Watkinson, who made his first senior appearance in that same match against Kent two decades ago, insisted the needs of the team would come ahead of emotion - exactly as Fairbrother would want.
"If we need him to play for us in the last game against Somerset next week, we'll pick him," Watkinson said.
"First of all we've got to make it definite that we can't be relegated. And even then we want to do everything we can to finish second."
Watkinson added that Fairbrother has still to decide if he will play in the last Norwich Union League game of the season against Middlesex in Shenley next Sunday in a final attempt to score the five runs he needs to become only the 10th man ever to score 7000 runs in the 34-year-old competition.
And the manager even suggested that Graham Lloyd may not have played his last game for the club.
"It's the same with Bumble - if we think he would strengthen the team, we'll pick him," he said.
But Lloyd has not been included in the squad for Canterbury with Lancashire naming an unchanged 12 - the 11 who drew against Warwickshire at Old Trafford, plus Kyle Hogg.
Kent are third in the table, one place and 3.5 points ahead of Lancashire, and are aiming to complete a double after winning at Liverpool in June - although Andrew Symonds, who played a key role in that triumph, has since been replaced as their overseas player by Steve Waugh.
Meanwhile, Hampshire became the first team to suffer relegation from the Frizzell County Championship First Division this season when their weather-affected clash against Sussex ended in a tame draw at Hove.
The writing was on the wall from the moment Sussex had posted a massive 631 for six on the second day but the result means Robin Smith's team will return to Division Two next season after only one term back in the top flight.
The visitors were all out for 401 and forced to follow-on 230 runs behind after James Kirtley had finished with six for 107 but Sussex were left with little more than one full session in which to push for victory.
In their second innings, Hampshire crawled to 67 for one from 37 overs before an early halt was called to proceedings with Zimbabwe all-rounder Neil Johnson 51 not out.
Nottinghamshire's promotion push in Division Two is well on track after they claimed 15 Durham wickets in a day following their declaration on 400 for six. The visitors were then skittled for 132 and, following-on, Durham descended deeper into trouble to reach 153 for five at stumps - 115 behind with a day to go.
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