CLIVE Lloyd hopes to win back his place on the Lancashire committee two weeks today.

The West Indies legend is one of six candidates standing for four vacancies at the club's annual general meeting.

He was forced to stand down from the committee in 1996 when he answered an SOS to become West Indies coach.

But there seems little doubt that he will be welcomed back by the Lancashire members.

"The Lancashire supporters have been wonderful to me over the years and I feel I owe it to them to give something back," said the 56-year-old.

"My greatest wish is to see the county championship pennant on our flagpole -- we deserve to have the honour soon."

Standing with Lloyd will be three retiring committee members -- chairman Jack Simmons, David Dunkley and Mike Whelan -- as well as Liverpool teacher Susan Grainger and Cheshire policeman Rory Davis.

In the annual report and accounts, published today, Simmons again criticises English cricket's new central contracts system, while the club announces profits of £158,000 -- £90,000 down on 1999.

The central contracts have been widely accepted as a major factor behind the improved results of the England team, with Mike Atherton hailing them as a major step forward. But Simmons has never been impressed and in his report to the Lancashire members, he says: "I'm sure central contracts have helped England to a degree, but don't let anyone pull the wool over your eyes.

"Many counties, including Lancashire, will have second thoughts about them -- my personal thoughts are that common sense, along with give and take, was not forthcoming last season.

"If central contracts are to continue, a better working relationship between England and the counties will have to be forthcoming."

Meanwhile, treasurer Sir Dennis Landau pointed to the significant increase in spending on ground improvements, and the three World Cup ties Old Trafford staged in 1999, in explaining the fall in profits.