PETER Martin was today left to reflect on the cost of missing Lancashire's latest Championship game - his England place, writes ANDY WILSON.

Martin was bitterly disappointed to be dropped from the squad for the Third Test against India at Trent Bridge yesterday.

And Lancashire coach John Stanworth admitted that the decision to leave him out of the Championship game against Somerset was made by Lancashire, not England.

Stanworth and Mike Watkinson felt that a rest and a stint in the nets with bowling coach Peter Lever would do Martin more good than flogging his guts out on an Old Trafford pitch prepared to help the spinners.

He has been struggling for wickets since taking 7-50 in a brilliant performance against Notts early in the season - ironically at Trent Bridge.

They thought they were doing Martin a favour, but missing the Somerset game denied him any chance of staking a late claim. David Lloyd and Mike Atherton wanted him to play. Martin returned in the Sunday League yesterday and bowled an impressive early spell. But he was upstaged by Glen Chapple, who took 2-6 in six overs as Somerset slumped to 123-6.

But former Lancashire all-rounder Andy Hayhurst, now Somerset's captain, got his side off the hook with a quick 42 and Lancashire immediately plunged into trouble, losing Mike Watkinson and Steve Elworthy to Andy Caddick's opening spell.

Off-spinner Harvey Trump put the brakes on midway through the Lancashire innings with the wickets of Atherton and Neil Fairbrother, both caught on the boundary, then Caddick returned to fire out dangerman Graham Lloyd for 41 in 45 balls.

Lancashire seemed down and out needing 21 off the last over but Chapple raised hopes of an amazing comeback by hitting Shane Lee for two fours, a six and a three. Gary Yates was left needing two off the last ball to snatch a tie but missed it and the Lancashire batsmen could only scramble a single bye. Lancashire's third defeat of the season, and their second by one run at Old Trafford, leaves them eighth in the table, ten points behind new leaders Middlesex.

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