THE old brigade linked up to rescue Lancashire at Chelmsford yesterday - but they might have discovered a new all-rounder.

Neil Fairbrother top-scored with 126 in their reply to Essex's 242 on the second day of the Championship match, and the only other batsman to make 40 was fellow veteran Mike Watkinson.

But Lancashire were still struggling for a first innings lead at 181 for seven when Fairbrother was joined by Glen Chapple. And Fairbrother paid tribute to Chapple's support in an eighth wicket stand of 103 which allowed them to reach 314 - although Essex then knocked 48 off Lancashire's 72-run lead without loss before the close.

"The support was crucial especially from Chappy when we had lost three quick wickets," said the 34-year-old after his 38th first class century, and his fourth in Essex - one at Southend, one at Colchester, and now two at Chelmsford.

"If he hadn't played so well, we wouldn't have got a first innings lead." Chapple hit 31 in classical style, playing very straight and staking his claim for a regular place further up the order even in a Lancashire team packed with batting.

Following his five wickets and three catches in the Essex innings on Thursday, he is having quite a match.

Fairbrother had come in at 41 for two, and Lancashire quickly slipped to 48 for three with John Crawley going cheaply, bowled by former team-mate Ronnie Irani.

He shared stands of 57 with Andy Flintoff and 79 with Watkinson, whose 40 included a six, but then saw Watkinson, Wasim Akram and Warren Hegg go for the addition of only two more runs.

Essex's former Sussex seamer Danny Law was a real handful, ending with four for 70, and Fairbrother, who batted almost five hours and faced 227 balls, added: "It was very hard work. You couldn't take many risks because it was moving about so much and I was just happy to occupy the crease for so long."

He gave Lancashire a position to press for their first Championship win of the season over the next two days, with the Axa league game being played on Monday night under floodlights.

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