LANCASHIRE have a treble injury headache ahead of Thursday's Championship match against Essex at Chelmsford.

Mike Atherton, Peter Martin and skipper Wasim Akram all returned from the matches at Kent with niggling worries which threaten to keep them out of a game Lancashire need to win to kick start their four-day campaign.

Atherton and Martin missed the Axa League victory over Kent on Sunday, Athers with another recurrence of his back problem and Martin with a hamstring strain.

And Wasim probably wouldn't have played either if it wasn't such a big game, after suffering a thigh injury during the drawn Championship match.

"It was troubling me a little and I need it to improve before we play Essex, but I do not want to miss any cricket," said the Pakistan star.

At least Lancashire are unaffected by England calls, as for the first time in several years they have no players in the Texaco Trophy squad.

Glen Chapple and Graham Lloyd would be the obvious choices to come in for Martin and Atherton, after being left out in Kent.

Meanwhile, Lancashire's floodlit Axa League match against Yorkshire at Headingley will still be a traditional Roses battle, despite Lancashire's decision to adopt the nickname Lightning for their home floodlit matches.

Lancashire will be known as Lightning against Worcestershire on July 20 and Surrey - the Lions - on June 17. But Yorkshire have resisted the trend for nicknames, and unless they have a late change of heart, it will be back to plain old Lancashire in Leeds on August 24.

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