MIKE Atherton survived a fitness scare to put Lancashire's Sunday League title bid back on track.

The England captain was struck on the finger in an impressive early spell from Durham's left arm paceman Simon Brown.

He batted on with a pain-killing spray, but was in obvious discomfort and hadn't even reached double figures as Lancashire lost Mike Watkinson and Steve Elworthy to slump to 48 for two.

But Atherton eased fears that he would struggled to be fit for Thursday's Second Test by recovering his form and confidence in an unbroken stand of 126 with Nick Speak which guided Lancashire to a comfortable eight wicket win.

He reached his third Sunday League half-century of the season from 80 balls with three fours then cruised to an unbeaten 91 from just 39 more balls with three more boundaries. Speak was left unbeaten on 39, his best Sunday score of the season.

Lancashire set up the victory with a solid bowling and fielding performance which restricted Durham to 173 for eight in their 40 overs. Peter Martin, retained in England's Test squad earlier in the day, was the pick with three for 29.

The victory completed a good weekend at Chester-le-Street for Lancashire who got their championship season up and running at last with a comprehensive win on Saturday.

Elworthy and Glen Chapple ground Durham into the dust with a ninth wicket stand of 46 in seven overs which took Lancashire's lead to 524.

Then the Red Rose seamers ripped through the Durham batsmen. Chapple took three early wickets to make it eight for the match, there were two more for Martin and Ian Austin grabbed 4 for 33 at the end to follow his two near centuries in an excellent all-round performance.

Lancashire have no game in the next round of fixtures and they are next in action in the NatWest Trophy first round against Oxfordshire at Aston Rowant next Tuesday.

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