NEIL Fairbrother was still missing as Lancashire set out on a second Lord's trail at Old Trafford today.

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Still buzzing from Wednesday's win at Leicester which booked a Benson and Hedges Cup semi final at home to Warwickshire two weeks today, they were taking on Dominic Cork's Derbyshire in the third round of the C&G Trophy - the competition formerly known as the NatWest Trophy and the Gillette Cup.

But Fairbrother, who has not played all season because of the blood clot he suffered after a cartilege operation in January, was again ruled out.

The 38-year-old's knee has still not fully recovered although he is now hoping to make his comeback in Sunday's National League game against Middlesex at Old Trafford.

The fact that Lancashire were playing a first-class county today in the round when they normally face Minor Counties opposition is evidence of their miserable one-day form last summer.

The bottom four teams in the Second Division of the National League are punished in the draw, and if Lancashire do win today - or tomorrow, with the reserve day likely to be needed given the forecast of gales - they will go to the winners of the Essex-Middlesex match in the fourth round.

"We had such a bad time in one-day cricket over the last two years that we're starting from scratch," admitted captain Warren Hegg.

But he is delighted with the way the players have responded to his demand that they show their character, and was set to name an unchanged team - with Andy Flintoff again made available by England coach Duncan Fletcher.

Lancashire's second team suffered a Roses defeat at Aigburth yesterday, going down by 119 runs.