STUART Law has urged the critics to get off Mark Chilton's back.

The Lancashire captain has struggled for runs this season, especially in the one-day game, leading to some supporters questioning his place in the side.

But having hit just one half-century in 16 innings this season, the former Manchester Grammar School pupil returned to some kind of form with a battling 115 in the Championship match against Durham earlier this month.

He was, however, unable to build on that with a bad dose of sinusitis ruling him out of the final Friends Provident Trophy group match against Nottinghamshire and last week's home Championship win over Kent.

But he is in Lancashire's squad for tonight's opening Twenty20 Cup clash with Durham at Old Trafford (5.30pm).

And former Aussie Test ace Law, who led Lancs to the eight-wicket win against Kent, believes the 30-year-old opener will come good.

Tough

"I am a big lover of Mark Chilton's cricket, and a big lover of the way he does things and he is his own man, which is what you have to be," said vice- captain Law, who is celebrating his benefit year.

"He is tough when he needs to be, sympathetic when he has to be, so he has got all the attributes and it is just a shame people are dissing him, which I don't feel is just.

"He has a tough job and believe me if there is one bloke out there trying to do his best it is Mark Chilton. He trains harder than most, he loves the club, is a local lad and we have to give him all the support we can. He got a fantastic hundred at Durham.

"He deserves a fair crack of the whip and if people get off his back he will produce good cricket.

"Over here, they think you fire the players up by giving them nothing. If you win, people think you should have done any way, and if you don't then you are rubbish.

"That attitude doesn't go well with the team in the dressing room, it feels a bit like us and them. But if we feel the support of the crowd, we play a lot better cricket."

Although Chilton is set to play against Durham tonight he will be moved down the order, with new signing Sanath Jayasuriya, who is standing in for Muttiah Muralitharan while he is away with Sri Lanka, set to open alongside Mal Loye.

Wicketkeeper Luke Sutton has been left out with Gareth Cross's attacking batting earning him the gloves.

Jimmy Anderson, who took 1-25 for the England Lions in their defeat by the West Indies at Worcester yesterday, will play, while Kyle Hogg is in the squad after being called back from his loan spell with Worcestershire following injuries to Sajid Mahmood (hernia), Glen Chapple (hamstring) and Dominic Cork (groin).

Tickets can be brought on the gate tonight, while there are only 2,000 left for Wednesday's Roses clash with Yorkshire at Old Trafford, which can be bought from www.lccc.co.uk

Lancs squad: Chilton (cpt), Anderson, Croft, Cross (w/k), Hodge, Hogg, Jayasuriya, Keedy, Law, Loye, Marshall, Mullaney, Newby, Smith

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