LANCASHIRE's hopes of a full house for today's Roses semi-final were dented by Yorkshire and the weather.

Lancashire were stunned when Yorkshire returned more than 1,000 of their allocation of 3,750 tickets.

That meant that plenty of tickets were available on the turnstiles, but Lancashire weren't expecting many supporters to pay on the day with old Trafford surrounded by grey cloud and rain.

Lancashire secretary Dave Edmundson said: "We are a little surprised that they returned so many. After all it is a Roses game with the chance of a Lord's final and we thought they would be snapped up."

Lancashire scaled down their expectations of a crowd approaching 20,000 to one of around 16,000.

That would be less than the 1991 Roses semi-final, which attracted more than 18,000, and also last year's NatWest Trophy quarter final at Headingley when a large travelling Lancashire support swelled the crowd to an 18,900 full house.

Yorkshire travelled across the Pennines last night cock-a-hoop after victory over Surrey at Middlesbrough took them to the top of the Championship table.

Darren Gough, keen to prove a point to Mike Atherton after his exclusion from England's First Test squad, produced his best form of the season to take 5-36 in 24 overs.

Lancashire also had a good day against Essex at Chelmsford, reaching a total of 686, their third highest of all time, with a last wicket stand of 91 between Ian Austin and Gary Keedy than having Essex on the run at 108-4.

Mike Watkinson took two wickets and Gary Keedy three, but at half past five Watkinson reluctantly accepted the draw and Lancashire rushed on to the bus fro the long drive back to Old Trafford.

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