LANCASHIRE may bring one of their Texaco Trophy stars back to Old Trafford for tomorrow's Axa Life League game against Northants, writes ANDY WILSON.

Mike Atherton, John Crawley and Graham Lloyd are in London with England but if either Crawley or Lloyd is left out of the third game at Lord's tomorrow, they could be available for Lancashire.

Coach Dav Whatmore explained: "Players come back to rejoin their counties if they are left out on the morning of Test Matches, so we might be able to do the same with this."

Lancashire will definitely have Wasim Akram back on board after the scan cleared him of any serious shoulder damage, and Mike Watkinson is also set to return after missing the Championship game with a shoulder problem.

They are aiming to stay top of the table after winning their first three games against a Northants side they beat in all three limited overs competitions last season, including the Benson and Hedges Cup final.

Meanwhile the Championship game was heading for a dull draw at Old Trafford today after a battling Lancashire performance to avoid the follow-on.

Skipper Neil Fairbrother led the fight with a superb 83 then Ian Austin and Peter Martin steered Lancashire past the target of 330 with three wickets to spare.

Austin ended yesterday on 93, bringing back memories of last season when he went close to this third century for Lancashire in three consecutive innings.

Austin was left on 89 not out when Lancashire were bowled out for 686 against Essex at Chelmsford, 95 not out in the first innings of the next game at Durham, and bowled for 91 in the second innings two days later.

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