LANCASHIRE cricket manager Mike Watkinson heaped praise on matchwinner Paul Horton after he helped Lancashire to a first victory of the season against Surrey in the County Championship.

The 24 year-old's unbeaten 49 rescued the Red Rose club from 8-3 at lunch on day three as they chased just 90 for victory on Friday.

And Watkinson admitted Horton's spell in Australia playing for the Canberra Comets has given him the belief he now belongs in the Lancashire side.

"He has perhaps felt a little bit aggrieved over the past couple of years because he has done OK without being spectacular and when one of the bigger players comes back he slips off to twelfth man and then down to the seconds," said Watkinson, who spent four years at the same club Down Under.

"I think we have demonstrated that we have kept faith with him this season, and he has done very well for us. What has helped him is his season in Canberra."

He added: "They were looking for an overseas player to play for them, so Paul went out there and did pretty well for them opening the batting."

Horton began the season with 76 in the LV Division One opener against Warwickshire, before hitting a half century opening the batting against Durham University last week.

But despite his good form, he is still sweating on his place in the side now that Australian Brad Hodge has arrived at Old Trafford.

However, Horton could yet be saved by Iain Sutcliffe's poor run of form that has seen him record four single figure scores in his first four Championship innings.

"I think he is just short of those breaks you need to go on and get a bigger innings. But he knows that the competition from the young guns is keen," said Watkinson.

Glen Chapple (4-40), Tom Smith and Oliver Newby polished off Surrey's second innings before lunch to leave Horton and Chilton with the task of steering Lancs to a much-needed 20-point win after the early loss of Sutcliffe, Mal Loye and, first-innings centurion, Stuart Law.