NEIL Fairbrother has put himself in line for one last crack at the Aussies.

Even the 33-year-old believed that his international career was over after being ignored last summer following an injury-plagued World Cup campaign in India and Pakistan.

But Fairbrother has a superb record against Australia, especially in one day cricket, and his form this season has demanded a rethink with the squad for the three Texaco Trophy internationals to be named this weekend.

After hitting an unbeaten 75 against Worcestershire yesterday, his third half century in five Benson and Hedges Cup innings, Fairbrother said: "If the selectors want to pick a 13 to win the Texaco Trophy, then I'm available.

"I don't think much about England any more after not being picked last summer - that was the death knell if you like. But the one-day series will be very important this time and they know my one-day form is as good as anyone else's."

It is crucial for England to win the Texacos to give themselves a boost over the Aussies before the Test series. Coach David Lloyd joined captain Mike Atherton at Old Trafford yesterday, and although neither are officially selectors they will still have some input into this weekend's meeting. And new selectors Mike Gatting and Graham Gooch are also well aware of Fairbrother's ability. Fairbrother has scored 246 runs at an average of over 80 and a rate of almost a run a ball this season, maintaining his incredible B&H record with almost 2500 runs from 69 matches including 20 half-centuries.

But he missed out yesterday on a 10th Gold Award which would have equalled Barry Wood's Lancashire record.

The Award went instead to Worcestershire's Australian captain Tom Moody who showed his usual relish for Lancashire bowling with 92 from 83 balls.

Moody, who had hit centuries in three of his last four innings against Lancashire, gave the Midlanders a flying start in their pursuit of a target of 274-6, savaging Gary Yates, Richard Green and Peter Martin with three sixes and 11 fours.

But Martin hit back to dismiss Moody and Graeme Hick in the same over, then Ian Austin and Wasim Akram bowled superbly at the death to give Lancashire their second victory by fewer wickets lost in three games.

It still wasn't enough to avoid going out of the competition at the group stage for the first time since 1988.

Mike Watkinson hopes to take over tomorrow if he passes a final fitness test on the arm injury which has kept him out for more than a fortnight, while Glen Chapple bowled 10 overs in a second team game at Urmston yesterday to prove his recovery from a dislocated knuckle.

Lancashire (from): Atherton, Gallian, Crawley, Fairbrother, Lloyd, Austin, Wasim Akram, Hegg, Yates, Martin, Green, Watkinson, Chapple, Keedy.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.