LANCASHIRE captain John Crawley today demanded a big improvement as they aimed to get their Championship bid back on track in Taunton.

Crawley's team slipped to third in the table with their disappointing draw at Derby and the captain admitted: "We didn't cover ourselves in any glory at all.

"We played like a bottom of the division side rather than a top team and we were probably fortunate to gain four points for a draw.

"But before the Derby game we managed to get on a roll and now it's just a case of getting back to basics for the Somerset game." Somerset started the game fourth in the table but they were without England pair Andy Caddick and Marcus Trescothick giving Lancashire a great chance to get back to winning ways.

They have a mixed record at Taunton in recent years with a superb win under Wasim Akram in 1995, but heavy defeats in 1993 and 1997.

Last September the weather had the last word forcing a draw despite eight wickets for Caddick and a big century from Graham Lloyd.

Lancashire were again without Mark Chilton, Andy Flintoff, Ian Austin and Peter Martin, but Chris Schofield was in line to return to the team as a second spinner to partner Gary Keedy.

Crawley and coach Bob Simpson were also keeping a close eye on events at the Oval, where new leaders Surrey are playing second-placed Yorkshire in a crucial match.

Tickets will be available on the day for England's first-ever floodlit international in this country.

It's at Old Trafford against in-form Zimbabwe tomorrow night.