Cricket: Such applies brakes

PETER SUCH halted a Lancashire batting resurgence with a six-wicket haul at Old Trafford yesterday. It was the first time the 35-year-old Essex off-spinner had claimed five or more wickets since his success in the last Ashes Test at Sydney.

Such has dropped out of the England reckoning and had only 12 Championship wickets before this game. But on the square where he destroyed the Aussies with his 6 for 67 on his Test debut in 1993 he suddenly came back to form.

Lancashire, however, could feel pleased enough about their 298 for 8 off 104 overs with Muttiah Muralitharan licking his lips at the prospect of bowling on such a helpful pitch. The Lancashire captain, John Crawley, had warned his second from bottom side that they faced the real threat of Second Division cricket next year unless the batsmen got their act together.

Crawley set the right example, putting on 117 with Mark Chilton - Lancashire's first three figures opening stand since September 1997. But Such dismissed them both, Chilton for 71 and Crawley for 51.

Then he suffered some heavy punishment from the big-hitting Andrew Flintoff, who cracked four sixes in a 43- ball half-century.

Such then hit back with four more victims to end with 6 for 136 from 40 clever, hard-working overs.

Lancashire, who were 222 for 2 at one stage, stumbled to 226 for 5, but Warren Hegg glued them together again with 43 before becoming victim number six for Such just before the close.

Crawley admitted that Lancashire need to win at least five games out of their last nine and today he will be looking for Muralitharan to weave some more of his magic.