Mike Hussey conjured up what could prove a match-winning knock as Northamptonshire recovered from a bad attack of the jitters against Lancashire at Wantage Road.

The Australian left-hander passed the half-century mark for the fourth time in succession in Championship cricket at Northampton, and went on to make 82 in four hours with 11 fours.

His patient innings rescued Northants from trouble at 79-4 just after lunch to 194 all out, despite the best efforts of Glen Chapple whose 5-60 haul gave him 22 wickets for the season to date.

Needing 302 for victory, Lancashire lost Ryan Driver in deteriorating light and closed on 18-1 with first-innings centurion Mark Chilton and John Crawley set to resume on the final morning.

Peter Martin did his best to drag Lancashire back into the match with a fine all-round performance. He smashed 38 of the visitors' last 40 runs, boosting them to 291 all out after Chilton had gone for 104, adding only two more runs to his overnight total.

Then Martin roared in with the new ball to remove Mal Loye and Jeff Cook with successive deliveries, and with Russell Warren and Alec Swann also departing cheaply Northants were just 186 ahead with four top-order men out.

But Hussey and Tony Penberthy (24) added 66 in a crucial fifth-wicket stand, and although Chapple blew away the tail with ease Lancashire were left facing a difficult target on a pitch unlikely to get any easier to bat on.

© CricInfo Ltd.