His place has been inked in anyway, if hints by David Graveney, chairman of selectors, David Lloyd, coach, and Alec Stewart, Atherton's successor as captain, can be so interpreted, but a bucket of runs would make the situation much tidier.
Atherton said he had been looking forward to the season more than any since he left Cambridge University nine years ago. ``It comes from a feeling that I have to prove something again, to create the next part of my career. It's a good motivating force and I've even got butterflies in my stomach,'' he said.
Atherton has had little chance, with Lancashire, to prove himself after his atrocious form for England in the West Indies. The rain-sodden start to the English season has seen to that.
He insisted yesterday after practice at Old Trafford that he felt ``absolutely fine'' and dismissed a suggestion that he might not make the England side. ``I'm not worried in the slightest,'' he said. ``I've not lost my place yet, in any case.''
The first month, dominated by rain and one-day games, has been mediocre for him rather than worryingly poor. Last year his record was worse at the equivalent stage and he went on to score a hundred against Australia in the second one-day international at the Oval.
Atherton's contribution in the Texaco Trophy series tended to be overshadowed in the public mind by the Hollioake brothers.
This time a return to England's one-day side has apparently been ruled out, and Atherton has two championship games - against Kent and Essex - to settle misgivings about his batting at Test level. His average of 18.09 in 11 innings against the West Indies was paltry.
In Atherton's favour is that the weather has muted the Test claims of rival opening batsmen, with two berths to fill if Stewart takes the wicketkeeping gloves and drops down the order.
Darren Maddy, of Leicestershire, would be high on the probables list, but Nick Knight's form has been wobbling and Steve James has had no further opportunity to make an unanswerable case after two golden years of run-making.
Kent, with Dean Headley leading a good seam attack, should provide a stern shake-up for Atherton and his colleagues, not least because Lancashire have not won a championship match at Canterbury since 1936.
Yorkshire, the only county to have won both their matches, should make it three at Northampton, especially if David Byas - after two hundreds and a fifty in three innings - and Chris Silverwood, with the ball, continue their momentum.
Durham, who play Essex, suffered a blow when David Boon, their captain, broke a toe batting in the nets. He is hoping to recover for the Benson and Hedges Cup quarter-final in Yorkshire on May 27.
Shaun Humphries, 25, makes his championship debut for Sussex at Nottingham to start what he hopes will be a wicketkeeping career, replacing Peter Moores, who has retired at 35 to concentrate on coaching. If Moores's example were followed more widely among certain other counties, professional cricket would be healthier for it.
Hampshire have awarded a benefit next season to all-rounder Kevan James, 37, who joined the club 14 years ago from Middlesex.
The first Test between England and South Africa, from June 4-8, will be held at Edgbaston and not as stated in yesterday's tour itinerary.