Stephen Parry: Championship spot the aim for Lancashire spinner

Spinner Stephen Parry wants to cement a place in Lancashire's Championship line-up after ending his four-year exile from the competition.

Parry played in the recent three-wicket victory against Essex, his first match in the four-day format since 2009.

And the 27-year-old took a career-best 5-17 in Sunday's YB40 win against Surrey to further enhance his chances.

"Any chance I have to play first-team cricket, I really need to do well," he told BBC Radio Manchester.

In recent seasons, slow-left-armer Parry has been a fixture in Lancashire's one-day side, but found himself behind Gary Keedy and Simon Kerrigan in the pecking order for Championship selection.

However, with veteran Keedy leaving for Surrey during the winter and Kerrigan involved with England Lions against New Zealand, he was given his chance by coach Peter Moores and took two wickets as Lancashire claimed victory from the penultimate ball of the match against Essex.

Against Surrey on Sunday, having hit 23 not out from 25 balls with the bat, he produced a stunning spell of bowling to earn Lancashire a seven-run win at Emirates Old Trafford.

Moores said of Parry's recent performances: "What Stephen did against Essex was show he can be a very effective first-class bowler, which we knew anyway, but he needs to go and do it.

"He's got the ability to hold an end up, but he showed on a turning pitch that he can be very effective.

"Simon [Kerrigan] is a really good bowler and the last time he played for us he got five-for at Colwyn Bay [against Glamorgan] and bowled beautifully. It's a good position for us to be in."

Lancashire face Hampshire in a day-night YB40 fixture on Wednesday evening and begin a four-day Championship match against the same opposition the following day.

Australian batsman Simon Katich is expected to be fit to face his former county after missing Sunday's game with a back spasm.

Meanwhile, opening batsman Paul Horton has been ruled out for up to six weeks after an operation on a dislocated finger.

The 30-year-old injured the finger in training but still played in Sunday's win against Surrey before scans revealed the extent of the injury.