MIKE Watkinson insists the race for the County Championship will be blown wide open if Lancashire win their game in hand on leaders Sussex.

The Red Rose side are not back in action until next Tuesday when they entertain Hampshire at Old Trafford aiming to claw back a 22-point deficit on the Hove outfit.

Lancashire's hopes of landing their first Championship title outright since 1934 were served a major boost last weekend when they blew away rivals Yorkshire.

It was their first victory in the four-day game for almost two months, after slipping up to Sussex earlier in August and seeing two previous matches drawn.

With five games left for Lancashire, cricket manager Watkinson remains confident that his side can make a late charge for glory.

"At this stage, we have got a game in hand on the top two," said Watkinson. "If we win that game reasonably well, it leaves it wide open for a good run-in.

"Obviously, we slipped up against Sussex. We should have chased down 240-odd at Liverpool, in what was a high-class game of cricket, played with quality players.

"But they responded fantastically well at Yorkshire and that has given us a good platform."

Lancashire have been left to rue several missed opportunites this summer in the four-day game, most notably in early June when they failed to see off Durham at Chester-le-Street when requiring one wicket for victory.

Watkinson added: "There are certain small things that can go in your favour. But now we've got to look at the rest of our season.

"While we have done a little bit of damage to ourselves, it can be repaired in what's left of the rest of the season."

Without a fixture for the next five days, Lancashire are set for a spot of running at Rivington Pike today and a couple of days in the nets before tackling Hampshire.

"We've got a week off now where we can rest and do a bit of training," said Watkinson. "We are up in Rivington running and we net Friday and Monday."