LANCASHIRE Women are on course for a return to the top flight of the County Championship – and are just two play-off matches away from achieving their goal after completing the perfect Division Two campaign.

The Red Rose girls, including Read’s Jennifer Laycock and Burnley’s Hannah Till, have dominated the division this season and went into the final double header knowing one win from games against Durham and Ireland would see them in September’s play-offs.

But in keeping with the rest of their season, Lancashire shone again with two wins to leave skipper Jasmine Titmuss delighted.

“I am so proud of winning the division and going through the campaign with eight wins from eight,” said the 24-year-old.

“I took over as skipper for this season and didn’t really know what to expect as we have such a young team.

“The oldest player is just 26 but we have a tremendous team and hopefully we can get back into the top flight now.”

Emma Lamb scored a brilliant 113 not out and Laura Marsh made 88 as Lancashire piled on the runs against Durham at Leigh on Sunday.

Laycock chipped in with 38 and Natalie Brown was unbeaten on 48 as they posted 320-2 from their 50 overs before the bowlers went to work.

And with Laycock maintaining her impressive form for Read with 3-18 from 10 overs and Nalisha Patel also claiming three wickets, Durham were restricted to 159-8 at the close.

Lamb was also in form on Monday at Urmston as she made 57, while Natalie Brown hit 90 and Kathryn Cross, the daughter of Blackburn Rovers’ opposition analysist David Cross, chipped in with 21 as Lancashire posted 233-9.

Cross, who is back in the England women’s development programme, then claimed 2-11 with Brown and Bhumika Doski also picking up two wickets as Ireland slipped from 81-3 to 142 all out to leave Lancashire Division Two champions.

They will now have to wait until September for the promotion play-offs but Titmuss is aiming for the top flight.

After a reorganisation of women’s cricket Lancashire found themselves in Division Three before back-to-back seasons in Division Two and now the skipper believes her team has what it takes to get back into the elite level of the game.

“We have an excellent team and because we have won the division we play runners-up Somerset at home in the play-off,” she said.

“And if we can win that game we play the losers of the play-off between eighth and ninth in Division One for the right to go up.

“It would be tremendous to get back to the top flight and a reward for all the hard work that has been put in “It is a long time to wait until the games but they take place in September to allow all the girls who are involved with the Ashes to get back to their counties.”