LANCASHIRE zoomed into second spot with their third championship win on the trot at Edgbaston.

Now hope is growing that they might end the Old Trafford title famine stretching back to 1934 when they last captured it outright.

And while Andy Flintoff, pictured right, is capturing the headlines, experienced campaigner Graham Lloyd pointed to the team effort which enabled them to clinch a four wickets success over Warwicks after being set a target of 336.

Lloyd who shared a crucial fifth wicket stand with Flintoff said:: "We are on top of our game, playing well as a team - bowling well and knocking runs off to win matches. It was a great team performance to get this victory."

Flintoff hammered 70 including two sixes to follow up his breathtaking 61 in the success over Surrey a week earlier. But little-sung opener Nathan Wood has in fact outscored Flintoff in those matches, his 79 yesterday coming on top of his 80 against Surrey.

Neill Fairbrother, suffering a calf strain, used a runner to hit a half century, Lloyd claimed 34 when the damp, overcast conditions were at their worst and the Warwicks bowling at its tightest, and there were useful 30 plus contributions from Mike Atherton and acting captain John Crawley.

And, with time and the weather closing in, the experience of Ian Austin and Mike Watkinson steered Lancashire home by four wickets and nine balls.

Lloyd added: "I was pleased just to contribute to the team effort. We always had one eye on the weather but fortunately the rain kept away."

Lancashire have a fortnight's rest from championship cricket but take on Warwicks in a floodlit Axa League clash at Edgbaston tomorrow when they can open up four points lead at the top. WARWICKSHIRE

First innings 374-5 dec (N V Knight 192, M J Powell 53, D R Brown 51no and second innings forfeited)

First innings

N T Wood not outM-I14

I D Austin not outM-I23

ExtrasM-I2

Total (0wkts dec)...39

Bowling: Lara 2-0-24-0; Knight 1.5-0-15-0.

Second Innings

N T Wood c sub b GilesM-I29

M A Atherton lbw BrownM-I31

J P Crawley c Piper b BrownM-I34

N H Fairbrother c Hemp b BrownM-I54

A Flintoff c Giles b BrownM-I70

G D Lloyd c Piper b BrownM-I30

I D Austin not outM-I12

M Watkinson not outM-I5

ExtrasM-I23

Total (6wkts)...338

Bowling: Giddings 13-2-53-0; Welch 11-2-50-0; Brown 27.3-5-125-5; Smith 13-3-31-0; Giles 30-8-68-1

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