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It was crunch time on two fronts for Lancashire today.

They faced Warwickshire Bears in another floodlit CGU National League clash at Old Trafford tonight, with Lightning hoping to make the most of a double slip by First Division leaders Yorkshire Phoenix at the weekend.

But, before that, the cricket committee tackled the most important contracts meeting for years.

The future of skipper John Crawley, overseas ace Muttiah Muralitharan, all-rounder Andy Flintoff and a number of other younger players were all up for debate.

But chairman Jack Simmons was hopeful of tying up all the players Lancashire wanted - including Murali.

The club have virtually agreed a new deal for the Sri Lankan spinner to return to Old Trafford for a second year.

The only possible stumbling block is a Test series which Sri Lanka are trying to arrange against South Africa in July - with Lancashire anxious that Murali should be available to play in the bulk of their matches, rather than this year when he has to go home early next month to link up again with Dav Whatmore for a series against Australia.

Lancashire are now resigned to Murali missing the Roses Match meaning he will only have played in seven Championship games - including the Gloucestershire washout. But he will be available for the three crucial one-day games coming up against Yorkshire - the NatWest quarter-final on July 28 and the floodlit National League games at Headingley on August 12 and Old Trafford five days later.

Those day-night games are shaping as title deciders, especially after Yorkshire were beaten by Warwickshire and Gloucestershire at the weekend - meaning that Lightning can close the gap at the top to two points if they beat the Bears tonight.

Things are also looking much healthier in the Championship after Lancashire completed a 10-wicket win over Glamorgan at Blackpool on Saturday to claim a maximum 20 points.

They are now up to joint 12th in the table, only 13 points behind the top nine - and still have to play seven of the teams above them - so by the time Murali leaves after the next two games against Hampshire and Derbyshire, both away, the danger of relegation could have faded.

He ended the Glamorgan game with another 10 wickets, making it 47 from eight innings, after picking up two of the last four on Saturday morning. But young leg-spinner Chris Schofield stole the headlines with two more wickets himself to complete figures of 4-71 following his career best 4-55 in the first innings.

Impressively, the 20-year-old from Rochdale has now taken eight in a match on two of his five Championship appearances - and seems certain to retain his place for the game against Hampshire in Southampton starting on Wednesday.

``Bowling with Murali was a terrific experience,'' Schofield said. ``I'd love to do it again.''