Date-stamped : 07 Aug95 - 18:27 Hegg and Yates escape the grip of Sussex By Brian Bearshaw at Old Trafford Lancashire (166-8) bt Sussex (144) by 22 runs LANCASHIRE, who know more than Dracula about coming back from the dead, successfully defended a humble total in front of a 7,300 crowd to maintain their challenge for the Sunday title. It was a big disappointment for Sussex, who must have thought the game was theirs when Lancashire were 121 for eight in the 35th over. Eight weeks ago, after losing to Warwickshire, they were 11th. In the next seven games they collected 26 points and victo- ry at Old Trafford yesterday would have put them joint second. But Warren Hegg and Gary Yates added an unbroken 45 runs in those last five overs in a crucial partnership. Lancashire had narrowly failed to defend a total of 169 against Yorkshire in the NatWest trophy five days earlier. But this time they held their nerve, and a superb outfield catch by John Craw- ley to dismiss Franklyn Stephenson, to close on the leaders. It all looked so easy when Stephenson was batting, meeting anything pitched up with a long swing of the bat to pierce the field. His dismissal reduced Sussex to 56 for three, a position from which they never recovered their rhythm, largely due to a fine piece of bowling by Wasim Akram, who took four for 16 in seven overs. Lancashire had not batted well, failing to build on a sound start which took them to 90 for one in the 21st over. Mike Atherton was their top scorer with 46. Seven wickets then fell for 31 runs and it needed some swinging and clean hitting by Hegg and Yates to lift Lancashire to a total which proved more than enough. Source :: The Electronic Telegraph (http://www.telegraph.co.uk) Contributed by Gazza (G.Hunt@bath.ac.uk)