SOURAV Ganguly was left shaking his head in disappointment after an apparent snub by his team mates as Lancashire slumped deeper into relegation danger in the National League last night.

Ganguly, who was widely criticised for his dismissal in the NatWest Trophy semi-final on Monday, bounced back with his ninth one-day half century of the season.

But he was involved in the run-outs of Neil Fairbrother and Andy Flintoff, and none of the Lancashire players came out of the dressing room to applaud his 48-ball 50.

Ganguly was clearly upset, and he was out soon afterwards, lofting Kent spinner Min Patel to mid on for 52 -- although skipper John Crawley could be seen applauding him back to the pavilion inside his captain's room.

And Lancashire's total of 136-7 in a match reduced by rain to 21 overs per side never looked likely to be enough, with Kent cruising home with seven wickets and 13 balls to spare.

The defeat leaves Lancashire four points adrift at the bottom of the First Division table with only four games to play.

And with only one win from their last five one-day games, it is hard to see them pulling out of trouble now.

Flintoff had given Lancashire a flying start, thumping three boundaries in the first two overs.

But then he was left stranded after a disastrous mix-up with Ganguly.

Lancashire were still going well with Crawley joining Ganguly to add 69 in 10 overs for the second wicket.

But after Crawley went for 32 from 32 balls, and Fairbrother was left with no chance when Ganguly called him for an impossible single to mid wicket, the innings completely lost momentum.

Peter Martin lifted Lancashire with a lively opening burst, trapping Matthew Walker lbw.

But Ganguly's India team-mate Rahul Dravid steered Kent to a victory which boosts their survival hopes with a brilliant unbeaten 60 from 43 balls with six fours and a six.

Mark Chilton who returned to the Lancashire side in place of Mike Atherton, dropped Dravid on 10, and Ian Austin and Warren Hegg also spilled chances in another mixed performance in the field.

Flintoff did his level best, bowling five overs at up to 85 miles per hour and conceding only 20 runs.

But former England paceman Martin McCague joined Dravid to seal Kent's win, smashing 20 from Joe Scuderi's last over and lofting Chris Schofield for a four and two sixes to deepen Lancashire's gloom. LANCASHIRE

A Flintoff run out ... 15

S Ganguly c Wells b Patel ... 52

J Crawley c Hockley b Masters ... 32

N Fairbrother run out ... 8

J Scuderi not out ... 13

W Hegg c Hockley b Patel ... 0

C Schofield b Walker ... 5

I Austin b Walker ... 0

M Chilton not out ... 0

Extras ... 11

Total (7 wkts) ... 136

Bowling: McCague 3-0-24-0; Saggers 5-0-29-0; Masters 4-0-22-1; Fleming 2-0-14-0; Walker 4-0-27-2; Patel 3-0-13-2

KENT

M Walker lbw Martin ... 7

M Fleming c Scuderi b Chapple ... 17

R Dravid not out ... 60

A Wells c Fairbrother b Scuderi ... 18

M McCague not out ... 31

Extras ... 8

Total (3 wkts) ... 141

Bowling: Martin 3-0-19-1; Austin 3-0-19-0; Chapple 2-0-19-1; Flintoff 5-0-20-0; Scuderi 4-0-37-1; Ganguly 1-0-7-0; Schofield 0.5-0-16-0

TABLE

P W L T Nr Pts RR

Worcs... 11 6 3 0 2 28 1.64

Somerset... 11 6 4 0 1 26 2.80

Gloucs... 12 6 5 0 1 26 -0.43

Yorkshire... 12 6 6 0 0 24 2.75

Northants... 12 6 6 0 0 24 -6.13

Sussex... 11 4 4 1 2 22 5.36

Leicester... 11 4 4 2 1 22 0.56

Kent... 12 4 6 0 2 20 1.25

Lancashire... 12 3 7 1 1 16 -7.92