ONE man does not make a team, they say - but in Lancashire's case, Wasim Akram goes pretty close.

The Pakistani ace has watched with growing frustration this season as Lancashire have struggled while he has battled to shake off his shoulder problem.

But he returned yesterday as captain Mike Watkinson rested his niggling arm injury, and led the side to a superb Axa Life League win over title rivals Kent.

Lancashire have now won five limited overs games out of five under Wasim this season. But it is not necessarily his captaincy, just his presence, that seems to bring the best out of his team mates.

Young paceman Darren Shadford summed up the feeling when he said: "It was good to have the king back. He was brilliant."

Wasim bowled seven overs straight through for 18 and claimed the crucial wickets of Mark Ealham and Matthew Fleming. Ealham dragged a short ball on to his stumps while Fleming was bowled off his right arm and left the field in agony, although he quickly passed himself fit for the championship game today.

Shadford also gave Wasim credit for his own performance. The 22 year old followed an impressive three wicket burst in the championship game on Saturday by taking two wickets for the second Sunday in succession, and said: "Wasim was a big help - he talked me through everything."

Ian Austin, Peter Martin and Glen Chapple also chipped in, Chapple claiming three for 22 as despite a battling half century from Trevor Ward, Kent fell 17 runs short of Lancashire's 172.

Earlier Lancashire's other international captain, Mike Atherton, had set up the total with a superb unbeaten 90.

Atherton started slowly, happy to see off an excellent opening spell from Kent's England hopeful Dean Headley, and did not reach his half century until the 27th over.

But then he raced from 50 to 90 in just 28 balls with four more fours and a glorious six over extra cover off Martin McCague - another reminder of his value in one day cricket.

Lancashire moved four points clear of Kent and stay joint top with Essex, who thrashed Sussex at Hove. Today they were building on Saturday's encouraging fightback in the championship game, as Graham Lloyd hit another century to avoid the follow on then Shadford and Paul Ridgway linked up to reduce Kent to 81 for four in their second innings.

Kent slipped further to 166-8 a lead of 254.

The Lancashire committee yesterday co-opted David Hodgkiss as a replacement for Clive Lloyd, who resigned at the start of the month.

Hodgkiss is managing director of a steel construction company and the committee felt that his industrial experience would come in useful for the continuing development of Old Trafford.

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