DARREN Gough is all set to take on Lancashire in the Roses relegation battle at Headingley on Friday.

Dazzler emerged unscathed from Yorkshire's Cheltenham and Gloucester trophy win over Essex yesterday and pronounced himself fit for the crucial championship game -- his first in a year.

England will have the last say on whether he can appear or not, but as long as the fat bowler suffers no reaction over the next 23 hours, it seems likely he will spearhead the White Rose attack. It is a blow for Lancashire who have been ordered by England to keep Andy Flintoff out of the match.

Yorkshire's march into the C and G semis has given them new heart in their fight to get off the bottom of the First Division. Their man of the match at Chelmsford, Anthony McGrath, said: "The season starts here."

It is exactly what Lancashire captain Warren Hegg said after Lancashire had broken their drought at Blackpool last Sunday -- their first win in six weeks.

Now the bottom two are champing at the bit to get at each other on Friday.

Lancashire's Peter Martin said: This is a huge game for both clubs, probably the most important Roses championship match in many years."

His pace partner Glen Chapple faced a fitness test today on the side strain which has kept him out for a week and Lancashire were also looking at Stuart Law's thumb injury.

Meanwhile, Yorkshire are hoping their last-gasp C and G Trophy win can help turn round what has been a disastrous season for them so far.

Darren Lehmann's side were indebted to Gary Fellows and Anthony McGrath for rescuing their run chase in an unbroken sixth-wicket stand of 128 to sneak into the last four by virtue of having lost fewer wickets after the scores were tied on 283.

The result represented a measure of revenge for the out-of-sorts county champions, who were dumped out at the same stage of the last ever Benson and Hedges Cup by the same opposition earlier this season.