MARK CHILTON was called into the Lancashire squad for today's latest Benson and Hedges Cup tie against Derbyshire at Liverpool.

The 24-year-old, who scored a half century in the opening Championship game against Somerset two years ago, was covering for Neil Fairbrother, who suffered a slight hamstring injury in Wednesday's defeat at Leicester.

And two of Lancashire's winter signings have piled the pressure on the senior batsmen who flopped in the opening B&H defeats by Durham and Leicestershire.

Ryan Driver hit an unbeaten 102 for the second team against Leicestershire in Blackpool yesterday, with Tim Roberts slamming 101 from 130 balls.

Both batted superbly against a Leicester attack led by former Lancashire veteran Phil DeFreitas, who was returning from injury, sharing a second wicket stand of more than 200.

Ironically the only man to fail was Chilton, who was run out for 13 after slipping on the damp square.

Lancashire's decision to take their three home B&H games to Liverpool, which was originally because they thought they would be staging a Corrs concert at Old Trafford, has been justifed, with Sunday's Roses clash with Yorkshire heading for a 5,000 sell-out.

With a good weather forecast, Lancashire have warned that there will be no tickets available at the gates, except to members.

Lancashire are still hoping that they may be able to sneak into the quarter finals by winning their three remaining games.

Derbyshire went into today's game in the same position, after losing to Yorkshire and Durham earlier this week.

Dominic Cork was the obvious dangerman to Lancashire, as well as Aussie left-hander Michael Di Venuto and a couple of experienced new signings, Graeme Welch and Richard Illingworth.