LANCASHIRE are heading for a Roses summit meeting with Yorkshire in the First Division of the County Championship.

John Crawley's team crushed Hampshire for their third win in six matches at Liverpool yesterday to go back to the top of the table. They are almost certain to lose that place today with Yorkshire heading for a comfortable victory over Durham.

But that would set things up perfectly for Lancashire's next Championship game -- against Yorkshire at Old Trafford two weeks on Thursday.

It's a big contrast to the last two years when Lancashire have started slowly and come from the back of the pack to finish second. And they have defied all manner of problems with international call ups from England and India, and Peter Martin's horrific thumb injury, to stay unbeaten in the Championship.

Their one day form may have slipped below its usual high standards, but Crawley said after the latest win: "If we can win the Championship, it wouldn't bother me in the slightest if we didn't win a one day trophy. "There's always going to be a competition out of the four that we make a slow start in but I'm pleased we have started well in the Championship."

Lancashire have the chance to start climbing the National League table against Worcestershire at Old Trafford on Sunday.

Andy Flintoff completed a superb personal performance yesterday by taking the last four Hampshire wickets. Figures of 4-18 gave him 7-30 in 15.4 overs for the match to go with his 73 from 108 balls in the Lancashire innings.

And ultimately it was Flintoff's partnership with Neil Fairbrther which proved the difference between the sides, as the 129 they put on for the fourth wicket was more than twice as valuable as any other stand in the match. Joe Scuderi also bowled well in both innings, claiming the wickets of Adrian Aymes and Derek Kenway yesterday to give him five in the match, and Ian Austin bounced back from a below par first innings showing to claim 2-23 from 19 typically accurate overs.

Hampshire are left rock bottom of the First Division and heading for relegation despite the signings of Shane Warne and Alan Mullally. Warne was one of Flintoff's victims yesterday, hooking down Glen Chapple's throat at deep square leg.