PETER Martin is on course to break through the 500 wickets barrier this season.

The 31-year-old paceman started the summer with 439 and yesterday's five wicket haul against Derbyshire at Old Trafford took his tally to 459.

Martin would join an exclusive Lancashire club with only 27 current members, headed by Brian Statham with 1,816 and including only Mike Watkinson (728) of the current staff.

It has been a funny old season for Digger, who has struggled for his usual accuracy in a couple of one day games, including Monday's Benson and Hedges semi final defeat at Bristol.

But in the Championship he has been a model of consistency, especially at Old Trafford, where he claimed 7-67 in Lancashire's last game against Leicestershire -- his best ever figures at the ground. It took Martin years of hard graft to pick up his first five-for -- or Michelle, as it is known (as in Pfeiffer) -- but in recent summers they have come thick and fast, and yesterday was his 13th.

In an unusual role as the second oldest man in the team -- nine months younger than Warren Hegg -- because of injuries and international calls, Martin rose to the challenge as Derbyshire were all out for 170.

He produced big in-swingers to deceive the left handed pair of Mathew Dowman and Michael Di Venuto, who were both out without playing a shot early in the Derbyshire innings.

Then, after Glen Chapple had bowled the stubborn Steve Stubbings and Rob Bailey was unluckily run out by a deflection from Gary Keedy, Martin returned to have Dominic Cork and Karl Krikken (pictured) caught in the slips. Tim Munton was his fifth victim, lbw to one that nipped back with Chapple and Keedy providing valuable support with two wickets each. Nathan Wood, who was called up from Lancashire's second team game against Derbyshire at Dunstall yesterday morning to replace the injured Neil Fairbrother, made a bright start until he was bowled by Matt Cassar for 27. Today's start was delayed by rain.

Lancashire's second team were pressing for victory over Derbyshire at Dunstall today. They scored 329 to take a first innings lead of 139, with handy contributions from skipper Mike Watkinson (56), Richard Green (49) and Wigan's Kiwi professional Hamish Marshall (48) then reduced Derbyshire to 93-3. LANCASHIRE V DERBYSHIRE

(first day)

DERBYSHIRE

S Stubbings b Chapple...42

M Dowman lbw Martin...4

M Di Venuto b Martin...15

M Cassar c Crawley b Keedy...22

R Bailey run out...12

K Krikken c Lloyd b Martin...7

D Cork c Yates b Martin...1

S Lacey b Chapple...13

P Aldred not out...22

T Smith b Keedy...13

T Munton lbw Martin...2

Extras...17

Total (80.5 overs)...170

Bowling: Martin 20.5-5-44-5; Chapple 20-3-53-2; Keedy 27-13-30-2; Scuderi 12-2-29-0; Yates 1-0-3-0

LANCASHIRE

N Wood b Cassar...27

M Chilton not out...8

G Keedy not out...0

Extras...1

Total (1wkt, 19.3 overs)...36

Bowling: Cork 8-3-17-0; Munton 7-3-15-0; Smith 2.3-1-3-0; Cassar 2-2-0-1.