LANCASHIRE are on course for their first Sunday League title since 1989 - thanks to another brilliant century from Jason Gallian.

Gallian, who hit his first Sunday century against Northants last week, added his second from just 98 balls as Lancashire cruised past a tough target of 258 against Leicester.

And with Roses rivals Yorkshire doing them a favour by beating Essex at Ilford, Lancashire are now four points clear at the top with five wins out of five.

Gallian has been in superb form in all cricket since suffering his first-ever pair in the Championship game against Notts at Old Trafford two weeks ago.

He has scored 475 runs in seven innings with three not outs, and yesterday was his third match-winning contribution in succession on Sundays as he also batted all through the innings against Notts to score an unbeaten 54.

Throw in handy bowling contributions in both the Championship and Axa games at Leicester, and Gallian is enjoying one of the best runs of his career.

Yesterday he bounced back from the disappointment of falling for 99 in the Championship match on Saturday, and also being dropped from opener to number three as Mike Atherton returned to partner Mike Watkinson.

Lancashire were in trouble at 50-3 after losing Atherton and John Crawley to consecutive balls from veteran Leicester seamer Gordon Parsons.

But Gallian teamed up first with Graham Lloyd, who hit 38 from 35 balls including some amazing reverse sweeps, and then with Neil Fairbrother. Gallian looked set for his third consecutive not out, which would have left him with a Sunday average of 150, but gave a simple return catch to South African all-rounder Neil Johnson near the end.

Johnson, the former Accrington and Rochdale pro who Leicester snapped up from Netherfield, had a terrible day bowling eight wides and the no-ball which gave Lancashire victory with eight balls and five wickets to spare.

Fairbrother ended unbeaten on 50 from 51 balls, another shrewdly judged innings from Lancashire's one-day maestro.

The victory completed a good weekend for Lancashire, who mounted a determined fightback in the Championship game on Saturday.

They took the last five Leicester wickets for 68 to restrict the champions to a lead of 95, with Gallian and Glen Chapple each claiming three relatively cheap wickets.

Then Mike Atherton steered them to a lead of 184 for the loss of only two wickets, reaching his first Championship century since 1995 from 202 balls with 13 boundaries.

Coach Dav Whatmore today pledge to go for a win, looking for quick runs to set Leicester a target. "We will always try to play positive cricket," he said. "There's no point turning up if you don't go for the win."

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