BRAD Hodge is set for showdown talks with the Australian selectors.

The Lancashire batsman made an impressive unbeaten 82 to rescue the county from a difficult position on the second day of their Championship match against Notts at Old Trafford.

Lancs will resume this morning on 240-5, just 13 runs behind the visitors' first innings total of 253.

Hodge is making up for lost time after sitting out the opening three County Championship matches while waiting for the birth of his son in Melbourne.

And he will miss the whole of July after being called up for Australia A, and still isn't sure when he will return after being told he also has to attend a training camp Down Under.

But Hodge, who was dropped from the Aussie Test squad this winter despite making a double century against South Africa, would rather stay and play for Lancs, and he has some searching questions for the Aussie selectors.

Vital

"I am due to speak to them on the phone on June 5," said Hodge, who played a vital knock despite carrying a wrist injury.

"I'll tell them my concerns. There are a lot of questions I want to ask them, so it should be an interesting phone call! I have hardly spoken to them since I was dropped, so communication hasn't been great.

"I'm not even in the Test side, so why I have to go on a team-building exercise when I am not in the team I don't know. I'd rather stay here and play cricket, but they will fine me an awful lot of money if I don't go, so I have no choice.

"But while I am here, I want to score runs for Lancashire and help them win some silverware."

A much-needed first half-century of the season from Iain Sutcliffe in a partnership of 83 with Mal Loye put Lancs in a solid position of 115-1 after the early dismissal of Mark Chilton.

But the pair both went caught behind and when Stuart Law was taken smartly by Chris Read for a duck the home side were struggling at 127-4.

But Hodge's knock, which included straight six off Graeme Swann's off-spin, put Lancs back on track.

Earlier, Oliver Newby finished with a career-best 4-58 as Notts added just 52 to their overnight 201-7.

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