WARREN HEGG led Lancashire into their C&G quarter final at Blackpool today with a message of support for John Crawley.

The Red Rose skipper was again missing because of the recent death of his mother, with the funeral tomorrow.

"It's an honour to be captain for a big game like this but obviously the circumstances are very sad and our thoughts are with John," said Hegg.

Crawley's loss rocked the whole Lancashire dressing room early in last week's Championship defeat by Somerset at Old Trafford.

But the club are hoping that he will return in the Roses Match at Headingley which starts on Friday.

Hegg admitted that Lancashire would have to improve their one-day form against a Durham team who have already beaten them twice this season, and who won at Gloucestershire in the last round.

"It's a little strange but we have to accept that we are the underdogs," added the wicket keeper.

"We've played poorly in one-day cricket in the last couple of years and Durham have had a big improvement."

But Durham were without Neil Killeen, the seamer who destroyed Lancashire's batting in their Benson and Hedges Cup victory at Liverpool in May, and also Nicky Phillips, whose off spin was a key factor in their National League defeat last month.