IT is the game Lancashire's Mal Loye has been looking forward to all season - returning to his old county, Northamptonshire, in a showdown for the National League Second Division title.

Both teams are already guaranteed promotion, but the Sky cameras will be at Wantage Road today to see if Warren Hegg or Mike Hussey lifts the trophy.

It's a classic winner-takes-all battle, with the Steelbacks four points behind Lightning - but their superior run rate meaning they will take the title if the teams finish level.

Lancashire have already missed one chance to secure the silverware they surely deserve after a good all-round season, producing their worst one-day performance of the year in front of a big crowd against Sussex at Old Trafford last week.

Climax

But for Loye, that has set up the perfect climax to his first summer of cricket in Manchester.

"I've had this match ringed in my diary for a long time," grinned the 30-year-old, who has passed 1,000 Championship runs and also scored consistently in one-day cricket.

"I always had a funny feeling it might be us or them for the title, and that's the way it's turned out."

It will be Loye's first return to Northampton since his winter transfer, and he's looking forward to a warm reception after spending 12 years with his hometown club.

Northants have had a good season under the coaching of former Sussex and South Africa opener Kepler Wessels, securing promotion in the Championship as well as the National League.

Desperate

But Lancashire are desperate for a trophy - it has been four years since their last, when John Crawley hoisted the National League pot in 1999, and they were bitterly disappointed to miss out on a trip to Lord's with their agonising C&G Trophy semi-final defeat at Worcester last month.

Loye was more upset than anyone that day, after batting all through the Lancashire innings for a century, only to be left stranded at the non-striker's end as Andrew Hall ran riot.

"It took me a while to get over it; I sulked for two days," he admits.

He has never played in a Lord's final, after being named 12th man twice - including against Lancashire in the NatWest Trophy in 1996.

That dream will have to wait for another year. But sharing in a title win for Lancashire at Northampton wouldn't be a bad consolation.

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