LANCASHIRE welcomed back Wasim Akram and Mike Atherton from injury, and were almost back to full strength against Warwickshire at Old Trafford yesterday. Almost.

But it was the absence of Neil Fairbrother, still struggling with the finger injury he suffered taking a slip catch at Hove last week, which cost them so dear in their first Benson & Hedges Cup match of the season, writes ANDY WILSON.

Lancashire were cruising at 104-1 in reply to a modest Warwickshire total of 234-8, with John Crawley racing to a 54-ball half century.

Crawley lost Mike Watkinson, his partner in a second wicket stand of 82 in 16 overs, but that would have been no problem had Fairbrother been in next. The situation was made for Lancashire's one-day master.

Instead, young Andy Flintoff came and went cheaply, then Crawley, who had virtually ground to a halt after reaching his 50 with four singles in his next 21 balls, went lbw to Warwickshire off-spinner Neil Smith.

Still Lancashire were well up with the run rate, but you would never have guessed as Graham Lloyd slashed a catch to third man, Warren Hegg went for a duck trying to steer Smith through the slips, and Ian Austin was stumped wandering down the pitch off left arm spinner Ashley Giles. Wasim did his best, hitting 31 from 28 balls including two sixes. But then he went aiming for one big hit too many, and lobbing a catch to backward point.

And as he admitted afterwards: "You can't win matches if wickets are going down so regularly. We should have won this game."

It had looked more like the old Lancashire in the field as they bowled and fielded tightly.

Wasim also bowled well, claiming 2-35 in his 10 overs including Dougie Brown beaten by his trademark yorker, while Gary Yates was so tidy that Watkinson was not required to bowl.

But it wasn't quite enough, and Lancashire will probably need to win their four remaining group games over the next 10 days to qualify for the quarter-finals - starting at Leicester tomorrow.

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