JOHN Crawley is facing a race against time to prove his fitness for the Benson and Hedges Cup final.

Crawley has been out since pulling his hamstring in the Sunday League game against Essex at Chelmsford on June 9.

He was hoping to return in last week's game against Somerset at Old Trafford, washed out as a draw yesterday, but now looks unlikely to play against Worcestershire on Thursday.

That would leave him with only two one day games, the Sunday League clash with Worcester and next Wednesday's NatWest Trophy dress rehearsal against Northants at Old Trafford, before the sides meet again at Lord's three days later.

Lancashire coach John Stanworth said today: "We want John to play because we want the option to play our strongest side in the big games coming up, and if fit he will definitely come into contention.

"But time is running out a bit, and John is conscious of that. He's desperate to play but he knows that if he pushes it too early he could be out for the season, and that's something we all want to avoid at all costs."

If he is ruled out of the championship game against Worcester, Crawley could return in the second team's 55-over Bain Hogg Trophy fixture against Derbyshire at Urmston on Friday. He starred in Lancashire's B and H triumph over Kent last year with a quick 83 and as Stanworth added: "John is the sort of individual who can go out and smack it all round even if he has been out for a while."

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