WASIM AKRAM is set to return for Lancashire tomorrow - as captain.

The Pakistani Test star expects to sail through a final fitness test on his shoulder before the Benson and Hedges Cup tie against Warwickshire at Edgbaston.

And with Mike Watkinson still struggling with his arm injury, Wasim will lead the side after being appointed vice captain in the winter, with England skipper Mike Atherton returning to the Lancashire ranks.

Wasim, also captain of Pakistan, made a huge impression two years ago when, with Watkinson and Atherton both on England duty, he led Lancashire to three Championship wins at Taunton, Leicester and Portsmouth.

How Lancashire need that sort of inspiration at the moment.

Yesterday they crashed to a second consecutive defeat in the B&H qualifying group, Kim Barnett steering Derbyshire past their total of 223 with six wickets and nine deliveries to spare.

It was the first time Lancashire have suffered successive Cup defeats at Old Trafford since 1981. Although Wasim should make a big difference, the man Lancashire are really missing is Watkinson himself, who is crucial to the balance of their side as a reliable bowler and pinch-hitting opener.

But Watkinson's arm injury is still not responding to treatment and he expects to miss all three one-day games in the Midlands this weekend - Lancashire face Derbyshire in the Axa Life League on Sunday, then a fourth B&H tie against Minor Counties at Walsall on Bank Holiday Monday.

There is better news on Glen Chapple after the operation on his dislocated knuckle and now both he and Watkinson are targeting the last B&H qualifier against Worcestershire at Old Trafford a week on Monday.

Yesterday they tried Andrew Flintoff as opener with Warren Hegg at three - and both went for ducks, leaving Lancashire with a mountain to climb at seven for three.

Watkinson admitted: "The difficulty has been finding someone to do the pinch-hitting role and it will be difficult tomorrow because we will not want to send in an inexperienced opener to face Allan Donald."

Warwickshire thrashed Minor Counties by 155 runs at Edgbaston yesterday to move joint top of the group with Derbyshire, but Lancashire's faint chances of qualification were given a boost by Worcestershire's victory over Yorkshire.

Lancashire youngster Mark Chilton claimed the Gold Award in British Universities' shock victory over Sussex at Cambridge after hitting a handy 34, he grabbed 5-26 with his occasional medium pace to send Sussex tumbling to a 19-run defeat.

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