JASON GALLIAN is winning his battle to return from injury in Lancashire's crucial Axa Life League game against Middlesex at Uxbridge on Sunday.

Gallian has been out for almost a month since suffering a broken bone in his left hand while batting in the Championship thrashing by Somerset on June 5.

But the 26-year-old had his first net at Uxbridge yesterday and Lancashire captain Mike Watkinson said: "The early signs are encouraging. We won't make a final decision until the weekend because we don't want to rush him, but so far there have been no problems."

Gallian, currently in discussion with the club over a new contract, was in the best one-day form of his career before the injury with consecutive Sunday scores of 54 not out, 101 not out and 104 to set up three Lancashire wins.

He is still top of the Axa batting averages with 297 runs at 99, and would give the top of Lancashire's order a welcome boost as they will definitely be missing Mike Atherton and John Crawley.

It's a game Lancashire must win to preserve a realistic title chance after dropping 10 points in the last four games, including last week's capitulation at Worcester. But there is no chance of Watkinson or Wasim Akram playing, with both remaining very doubtful for the second round NatWest Trophy tie at Sussex next Wednesday. Paddy McKeown and Glen Chapple are expected to return in place of Nathan Wood and Gary Keedy.

Meanwhile Neil Fairbrother was bidding for his first century of the season as Lancashire continued to dominate the Championship game against Middlesex today.

Fairbrother played a real captain's innings to graft to an unbeaten 82 yesterday, steering Lancashire to 309-4 - a lead of 191.

He shared a third wicket stand of 67 with Steve Titchard, who hit a season's best 79, and then stepped up the pace with Ian Austin before bad light and rain stopped play for a third time.

Austin thumped five boundaries in three overs from Angus Fraser with the second new ball and ended the day with 35.

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