MIKE Atherton kept Lancashire's CGU National League title bid on track with another superb one-day innings at Old Trafford yesterday.

Athers ended unbeaten on 64 as Lightning passed Leicestershire's total of 166 with seven wickets and 16 balls to spare.

It means they stay two points ahead of Worcestershire Royals, but could lost top spot today as Worcester play their game in hand against Warwickshire.

But Lancashire will still hold their title chances in their own hands as they go to Worcester in the last game of the season next month.

Lancashire's bowlers set up the win with Ian Austin taking 2-24 in eight overs, Glen Chapple 1-17 in seven, Gary Yates 1-31 in nine and Mike Watkinson 2-29 in nine.

Watkinson then gave the reply a super start with a quick 49 in an opening stand of 75 with Atherton.

But it was the former England captain who hung around to see Lancashire home - although Leicester were convinced that he shouldn't have been allowed to. They had three loud caught behind appeals turned down early in Atherton's innings, as he took six over to get off the mark.

That sort of thing doesn't bother Athers, of course, and he was in his element a he crawled to his second CGU half century of the season from 104 balls with only four boundaries.

He also played the anchor role in a third wicket stand of 57 with skipper John Crawley which made Lightning's seventh straight win, other than an abandoned game against Warwickshire, a formality.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.