MUTTIAH Muralitharan continued his amazing form for Lancashire with seven more wickets against Essex yesterday - then apologised for not bowling well.

Murali claimed 7-73 to earn Lancashire a first innings lead of 91, putting them well on the way to their second victory of the season. But coach Dav Whatmore revealed today: "Murali feels he could have bowled better. He feels he gave away too many runs."

Old Trafford groundsman Pete Marron also deserves a share of Muralitharan's glory, as the pitch was perfect both for the Sri Lankan and his new spin partner Gary Keedy, who took 3-43.

Murali has now taken 31 wickets for 344 in five innings.

And after his destruction of England at the Oval last year in his last first class bowl, he now has 47 wickets from seven consecutive innings - a record beaten only three times, the last by Yorkshire's Hedley Verity with 50 in 1933.

And few would be against Muralitharan taking another bagful of wickets in the Essex second innings over the next two days.

He came on from the Warwick Road End in the 10th over and struck immediately, having Darren Robinson caught off a top-edged sweep. But after adding the wicket of Tim Walton, caught by Mark Chilton off bat and pad, Murali was frustrated for his next 10 overs by Essex's third wicket pair of Paul Grayson and Stuart Law - although he should have had Law out for 10, only for Neil Fairbrother to drop a straightforward chance.

Skipper John Crawley then decided to swap his spinners round and it proved a masterstroke.

Murali bowled Law in his first over from the Stretford End just after the classy Aussie had reached a 59 ball 50, and added the wickets of Ronnie Irani, Stephen Peters and Barry Hyam in his next seven overs at a cost of just 10 more runs.

Keedy chipped in with the important wicket of Grayson, caught by Fairbrother at slip off a superb delivery after grafting almost three hours for 63, then sent back Ashley Cowan and Mark Ilott before Muralitharan picked up the last wicket of Ricky Anderson to complete his seven-for.

Lancashire made a bad start to their second innings as Essex opened their attack with Peter Such, who took seven wickets in the first innings, and he had Chilton caught at silly point in his first over.

But Crawley and Fairbrother showed their experience and class to put on an unbroken 75 and resumed today with Lancashire 172 ahead.

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