Lancashire eased the air of crisis at Old Trafford with a 22-run victory over Sussex Sharks which took them well away from the bottom of the National League Second Division table.

Defeats by Glamorgan and Middlesex had left the former one-day giants in danger of an embarrassing wooden spoon, but they produced a disciplined all-round performance to leapfrog above Sussex into a more respectable fifth in the table.

Lightning made 200-8 in their 45 overs with half centuries from John Crawley and Graham Lloyd, then dismissed the visitors for 178 off the first ball of the last over despite a dogged 76 from Richard Montgomerie.

John Wood was the pick of the Lancashire bowlers with two for 20 from his nine overs, while Chris Schofield weighed in with three for 30 late on.

Crawley had won the toss and chosen to bat, but saw his struggling team slump to one for two in the fourth over with Glen Chapple and Mark Chilton going cheaply to Robin Martin-Jenkins and Billy Taylor.

Crawley himself led the recovery with a sensible 54 from 99 balls, his second National League half-century of the season continuing his prolific form which brought him 280 and 68 in last week's Championship game against Northants.

Graham Lloyd stepped up the pace with 56 from as many balls including seven fours, his second half-century in three National League matches.

Taylor, Martin-Jenkins and James Kirtley each picked up two wickets for Sussex, although Mark Robinson was the pick of their attack with one for 25 from his nine overs, the crucial wicket of Andy Flintoff bowled for 18.

The Sharks were floundering from the start in their reply, as Wood and Glen Chapple each picked up a wicket and Murray Goodwin was run out to leave them 22 for three.

Montgomerie took his anchor role to extremes, scoring only one run in the first 10 overs. He finally found some decent support from Will House in a fifth wicket stand of 74.

But after House flicked Wood to mid wicket for 35, Sussex were always struggling.

Montgomerie, who is now the leading run-scorer in the Second Division, reached his half-century from 98 balls with his second boundary and then moved on to 76 from 119 balls before he was ninth man out, bowled by Flintoff in the 44th over.

© CricInfo