MIKE Atherton has silenced the sceptics who doubted whether he would ever score runs again.

And now it would take a brave man to write off his international future.

Atherton was at his brilliant best in making an unbeaten 176 from 338 balls with 27 fours, the third best score of his Lancashire career, on the first day of the Blackpool Championship game against Glamorgan.

There was no sign of back trouble as he pushed, drove and ran with complete freedom on only his second Championship appearance of the season.

And afterwards he confirmed that England's winter tour of South Africa is very much on his mind.

"For any player who isn't in the Test team the priority is to score runs for his county and give the selectors a nudge," the 31-year-old said.

Glamorgan's Zimbabwean coach Duncan Fletcher, who will take over the England team for the South Africa tour, can only have been impressed with Atherton's innings, described as "awesome" by his Lancashire team-mates.

"It can't do any harm to score runs in front of the coach," conceded Atherton. "But to be honest I just need to play a few games for Lancashire and prove my fitness and form. Then it's up to other people."

That will suit Lancashire. Atherton's innings showed them what they have been missing not only during his back problems this season, but before that when he has spent most of his time with England.

It was only his fourth Championship century since 1995 and his first since last May, and put them on course for a crucial win in the battle to avoid relegation to the Championship's Second Division.

Atherton shared an opening stand of 218 with Mark Chilton, a new record for Lancashire against Glamorgan, beating 202 by Frank Watson and Charlie Hallows at Old Trafford in 1928.

Chilton played a sensible supporting role with 71 from 71 overs to stay on course for 1,000 first-class runs in his debut season - he now has more than 600.

John Crawley, who had won an important toss, was furious with himself for missing out when he top-edged a sweep for 34, but Neil Fairbrother plundered a 63-ball half century, including two consecutive sixes off Robert Croft, in the last session.

And even with no Graham Lloyd and Mike Watkinson, who were left out by Crawley in his new role as player-coach to change the balance of the side, Lancashire had the batting to grind Glamorgan into the Stanley Park dust today.

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