NEIL Fairbrother is out of Lancashire's AXA League game against Somerset at Old Trafford tomorrow.

But it is not the thigh injury Fairbrother suffered at Northampton last week which is keeping him out - more like the perils of fatherhood.

Fairbrother had recovered from the thigh problem and was confident of playing in the championship match against Somerset. But then on Wednesday night he suffered a groin strain when one of his kids jumped on his leg.

And the injury could make him doubtful for Lancashire's floodlit Axa League match against Surrey on Wednesday, as well as the championship match which starts the following day.

One consolation for Lancashire is that Graham Lloyd is showing signs of a welcome return to form.

Lloyd, whose miserable run hit rock bottom when he was out for a golden duck in the first innings against Somerset on Thursday, resumed today on a handy unbeaten 36 as Lancashire looked to build a big lead. They were threatening to squander a good bowling performance which secured a first innings lead of 34 when Paddy McKeown, Mike Atherton and Andy Flintoff went in quick succession to leave them 83-3.

But Lloyd linked up first with John Crawley, who continued his good form with 44, then Mike Watkinson, and Lancashire resumed today wiht a lead of 173.

Earlier Wasim Akram had taken 3-43, his best figures of the season, although he mixed some unplayable balls with some wild ones. Glen Chapple also bowled well after lunch to take three wickets but Peter Martin was the pick of the Lancashire attack in a pre lunch spell which earned him 4-52. But it may not be enough to earn him an England recall with Andy Caddick also in good form for Somerset, Yorkshire's Chris Silverwood impressing at Headlingley yesterday, and Ed Giddins continuing his comeback from a drugs ban with ten wickets in Warwickshire's match against Gloucestershire at Bristol.

Meanwhile Gary Keedy spun the second team to a good win against Somerset at Crosby yesterday. Keedy claimed 5-13, after Chris Schofield and Gary Yates had taken nine wickets in the first innings, as Lancashire dismissed Somerset for 94 to clinch a 182 run victory.

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