MUTTIAH Muralitharan today started his bid to sign off from his second season with Lancashire with the win needed to maintain their Championship challenge.

The Sri Lankan spin wizard was making his sixth and last appearance of the season against Kent in Canterbury before heading home for an international series against India and New Zealand.

Murali has played a key role in lifting Lancashire from the First Division relegation zone to second in the table, taking his tally of championship wickets to 102 in only 12 appearances.

"He's been a diamond for us," said captain John Crawley.

Coach Bob Simpson described the draw at Surrey as "the most pleasing performance" of his two seasons in charge yet with Yorkshire crushing Leicestershire at Headingley, Lancashire have slipped 28 points off the pace at the top of the table.

They still have to play the Tykes home and away, leaving the title very much in their own hands.

But with Yorkshire playing struggling Northants, Lancashire knew they needed a fourth win in five matches to keep their Championship bid on course.

"It is important for us to build on the way we played at the Oval with another good performance," added Simpson.

Mark Chilton returned to the side after missing the Surrey game with a wrist injury. He formed an inexperienced opening pair with Jamie Haynes, allowing Crawley to drop down to his preferred number three position.

Kent are languishing in the lower reaches of the First Division table but they do have the most prolific batsman in the country in David Fulton.

The main threat to Lancashire came from Andrew Symonds, the Birmingham-born Aussie who Kent signed as an overseas replacement for their injured South African Darryl Cullinan.