DAVID Byas sounded a rallying call for Lancashire as they went into today's vital Roses clash at Headingley.

"We are a lot better than our position suggests," said the 38-year-old batsman, who has stormed back to top form after missing a month with a broken hand.

"There are some good players at this club, and I think we can climb the table."

Lancashire badly missed the former Yorkshire captain while he was recovering from a Dominic Cork blow sustained during a Cheltenham and Gloucester Trophy tie at the end of May.

When he returned to the side, they were out of both cup competitions and had slumped into the bottom three of the championship and the Norwich Union League.

But he said: "I don't think it was my absence which caused the problem as much as the after effects of the defeat in the Benson and Hedges Cup semi by Warwickshire.

"Then we had to travel to play Essex for two one-dayers in a week and at that time they were in prime form with Ronnie Irani causing devastation. We caught them at the wrong time."

Byas came back from a championship game at Leicester, scoring 48, and then hit 78 to inspire Lancashire's first win in six weeks -- against Derbyshire at Blackpool last Sunday.

Lancashire have also missed Aussie ace Stuart Law, out for the last fortnight with a thumb injury and were hoping he would pass a late fitness check along with Glen Chapple and Ryan Driver.

Meanwhile, England's premier strike bowler Darren Gough will make his first County Championship appearance of the season in the Roses match at Headingley.

Doubts remain as to whether he can stand up to the rigours of a five-day Test, given that he has yet to play anything more than one-day cricket this summer, and so joins his county rather being considered for England selection for the Test against India at Lord's.

Other centrally contracted players - Yorkshire duo Matthew Hoggard and Michael Vaughan and Lancashire's Andrew Flintoff - will sit out the Roses game, however, as requested by England coach Duncan Fletcher.

LANCASHIRE (from): Swann, Chilton, Byas, Law, Fairbrother, Driver, Hegg, Chapple, Wood, Hogg, Martin, Keedy, Anderson.