WARWICKSHIRE were without their international trio of Shaun Pollock, Nick Knight and Ashley Giles at Old Trafford today, boosting Lancashire's hopes of finishing second in the Frizzell County Championship.

The Bears came into the game in second spot and the only team with any chance of denying Surrey the title.

But Lancashire have closed to within 10 points of them by winning their last two matches against Sussex and Somerset, meaning another victory this week could take them into the top two for the first time since May.

They have already beaten Warwickshire once this season, at Edgbaston in April, but the Bears have since adjusted impressively to their first season in the First Division - as well as stunning Lancashire with a last-ball victory in the Benson and Hedges Cup semi final at Old Trafford.

Neil Carter, the South African seamer who broke Lancashire's hearts that day by sweeping Glen Chapple for four, returned from a knee injury today, but the absence of Knight and Pollock, in particular, was a real blow.

Pollock has returned to South Africa for an international training camp meaning Warwicks did not have an overseas player because Damien Fleming, who they have signed as a replacement, has not arrived from Australia.

And Knight, who has been in superb form all season, is resting the groin injury he picked up in a match-saving innings against Surrey at Edgbaston last week to ensure that he will be fit to play for England in the ICC Trophy in Sri Lanka later this month.

Warren Hegg returned for Lancashire after missing Sunday's Norwich Union League defeat by Essex because of his dislocated finger, although he was again playing with painkilling injections.

Meanwhile, Glamorgan Dragons moved closer to lifting the Norwich Union Division One crown with a 104-run victory against title rivals Worcestershire Royals at Sophia Gardens.

And Sussex Sharks were gifted the simplest of victories at Hove as a dreadful performance from Hampshire Hawks allowed the hosts to cruise to a seven-wicket victory in Division Two.

Today Yorkshire and Somerset, fresh from the glamour of a Lord's cup final, find themselves back in relegation scraps in the Frizzell County Championship.

On Saturday the sides met in front of a capacity crowd at St John's Wood to contest the final of the C&G Trophy, the game's most prestigious one-day tournament.

Today they begin championship matches, with Yorkshire taking on Leicestershire and Somerset hosting Kent, the outcomes of which will go a long way to deciding who will be playing First Division cricket next season.

Yorkshire go into their game buoyed by two consecutive championship wins, not to mention their weekend triumph at Lord's.