Date-stamped : 07 May97 - 06:16 Middle order to rescue for Lancs By Stephen Thorpe at Walsall Minor Counties (1-0) trail Lancashire (210-7) by 209 runs LANCASHIRE survived a calamitous start in their quest for a record third consecutive Benson and Hedges Cup, and needed a robust partnership of 101 between Neil Fairbrother and Warren Hegg to save face after they had elected to bat. Torrential rain interrupted Minor Counties` reply to 210 for seven after one over but they can at least take heart from a spirited all-round effort. Indeed, Lancashire`s grip on the trophy is now somewhat tenuous, and they were rocked at the outset on a shaved pitch more akin in texture to late August than early May. The surface had little bearing on the ensuing slump, and a more common-sense decision would surely have been to unleash Wasim Akram. Instead, Lancashire, eyeing the possibility of a quarter- final passage next Monday on run rate, opted for the chance to increase their quotient but were soon floundering at 12 for three before rain offered a respite. Neal Radford had Ian Austin caught behind on the restart and then accounted for Graham Lloyd, well held by a sprawling Nick Gaywood at cover. Lancashire bat deep, of course, and at 41 for five, they needed to. Akram and Fairbrother dug in for an alliance of 57 before the Pakistani captain holed out at long-on to the raucous delight of Jonathan Fielding`s fan club. The Cumberland slow left-armer had already snared a wonderful one-handed catch at mid-off to remove John Crawley, who now boasts the unenviable record of two runs in four group matches. Jason Gallian was undone by an old-stager`s combination, Wayne Larkins hanging on in the gully in Radford`s first over. Michael Atherton is hampered by a groin strain and when his late replacement, Paddy McKeown, went to a beauty from the rangy Cumberland seamer, Marcus Sharp, Lancashire must have rued their earlier decision. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) Dean`s departure ends chances of an upset By Mike Berry at Walsall Lancs (210-7) bt Minor Counties (175) by 35 runs LANCASHIRE, intent on defending the Benson and Hedges Cup the hard way, shivered to victory amid the snow flurries at the Gorway ground. But the holders also had to shed a few beads of sweat in the face of another courageous attempt at a turbulent upset from the Minor Counties. The double-barrelled humiliation that beckoned on Monday at 41 for five resurfaced yesterday as Lancashire found themselves pursuing leather to all parts of this Birmingham League ground. Given the weight of Monday`s deluge, it was astonishing - and a credit to the Walsall club - that play began on time. More incredulity was threatened as Steve Dean, the Staffordshire batsman whose destructive exploits in Minor Counties cricket are legendary, outgunned Wayne Larkins in an opening assault that butchered 60 runs in under nine overs. The 36-year-old schoolteacher, showing scant respect for the new-ball bowling, was largely responsible for Ian Austin having 28 runs clubbed off three overs. Dean, having also seen off Wasim Akram, greeted Richard Green`s introduction by straight-driving him for four, but edged the next ball to wicketkeeper Warren Hegg to depart for 41 off 35 balls. Nick Gaywood, the Devon left-hander, struck Green for a couple of firm fours in the same over, but the complexion of a 211 target changed in the 14th over. Larkins hoisted the first ball from off-spinner Gary Yates high to the midwicket boundary, where John Crawley defied a bitter, swirling wind to hold a good steepling catch. From the promise of 91 for one, the Minors declined to 142 for eight. Only 51 arrived in 19 overs, and Richard Dalton clattered 16 of them off one over, the 21st, from Peter Martin. Mike Atherton took on the 12th man duties to bring out hot drinks as Austin`s second spell of 6-3-4-3 helped undermine the chase. Neal Radford and Marcus Sharp, two of five former Lancashire staff men playing for the Minors, briefly hinted at the improbable before Martin stepped in to present Radford with a decisive yorker. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/) Contributed by The Management (help@cricinfo.com)