NEIL Fairbrother kept Lancashire on course for a morale-boosting double victory over Sussex - then praised Steve Titchard for his patience.

Fairbrother hit a superb 93 from 95 balls to set up Lancashire's four wicket Sunday League win at Hove yesterday with four balls to spare.

He raced from 50 to 93, equalling his best Sunday score of the season against Leicestershire in May, from just 25 deliveries after seeing Lancashire fall way behind the clock in their reply to Sussex's 204.

That was partly down to Titchard, who hit 40 from 87 balls on a rare one-day appearance before being bowled in the 40th over.

But Fairbrother said: "Titch did a great job. It was like a Championship game - we just had to see off the new ball. "The white ball was moving around all over the ochey. It had done the same for our bowlers in their innings, but nothing found the edge. It was sod's law that when we batted it would and sure enough, we found ourselves 15 for two."

Fairbrother and Titchard put on 106 in 26 overs for the third wicket and although Nick Speak also struggled to get going, Paddy McKeown helped Fairbrother step up the pace with a quick 12, including an amazing six over cover off West Indian paceman Vasbert Drakes.

Lancashire stood at 203 for two, Crawley on 66 and Fairbrother on 54, needing 290 from a minimum of 49 overs.

Lancashire still needed 47 off the last five overs, but Fairbrother picked out young off spinner Nicky Phillips as the weak link in the Sussex attack, smashing four of his next nine balls for four.

Flu-stricken John Crawley missed the game ready for today's Championship run chase, but like Mike Atherton, who shrugged off his finger injury to field for England in the Texaco Trophy, and Ian Austin, also missing for Lancashire with his hamstring problem, should be fit for the NatWest final against Essex on Saturday. But all three may be rested for tomorrow's Championship game against Middlesex at Old Trafford, when play starts at 10.30am.

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