MARK Chilton suffered a cruel injury blow at Manchester Unversity yesterday.

The Lancashire opener broke his finger taking the last of four catches in the second team's Aon Trophy victory over Warwickshire.

Chilton was due to be 12th man in today's NatWest Trophy game against Essex, but the injury means he will definitely miss the Championship match at Derby starting on Friday.

Fortunately for Lancashire, Mike Atherton will be available as he has not been included in England's squad for the triangular one-day series.

"It's a biggie," admitted coach Bob Simpson. "We haven't played well in one-day cricket, but the NatWest offers us the chance of winning a trophy, and we will be up for it." It was an eventful day for Chilton, who top-scored with 57 in Lancashire's total of 228-7, and later took two wickets to go with his four catches.

Paddy McKeown and Joe Scuderi both chipped in with 44 each, and Mark Harvey made 34, on a slow pitch.

And Warwickshire slumped to 138 all out with Gary Keedy continuing his superb form with 4-19 -- making it 10 in two days following his six-wicket haul at Worcester on Monday.

Lancashire are on course to qualify for the semi-finals of the Aon Trophy after winning three of their first four matches, with the return match against Warwickshire at Coventry tomorrow.

Lancashire were today reaping the benefit of the new feelgood factor of English cricket.

Ticket sales for the Third Test against West Indies which starts at Old Trafford on August 3 have boomed since Dominic Cork's heroics at Lord's on Saturday.

Lancashire sold more than 3,000 tickets on Monday alone, taking the total sales to 35,000 for the first four days with receipts of around £650,000. "It's an indication of how England's win at Lord's has generated a new surge of interest," said chief executive Jim Cumbes.