Cricket / Round-Up: Lewis' positive signs for Headingley

THE chances of Chris Lewis, the England all-rounder, being fit for the fourth Test against Pakistan at Headingley on Thursday are 'much better than even', according to Sheila Ball, the Nottinghamshire physiotherapist.

Lewis bowled 12 overs in a rain- ruined draw at Trent Bridge yesterday in which Dean Jones scored 154 not out in a Durham total of 265 for 3. Durham needed another 19 runs to avoid an innings defeat when the match was abandoned at 4.45pm.

Jones and Ian Botham will miss the Championship match against Leicestershire starting today at Leicester. Jones has a suspected broken finger. Botham, meanwhile, has an appointment in his diary to take receipt of an OBE later this week.

Glamorgan had reason to rue yesterday's inclement weather. The Welshmen were within 14 runs of a notable victory over Hampshire when torrential rain brought a premature end to the contest at Portsmouth.

Glamorgan, chasing 298 from 72 overs, had reached 284 for 6 when rain intervened. At one time they were coasting at 184 for 1 with 35 overs remaining, but suffered a mid-order collapse after the dismissal of Steve James (73), who was caught at long leg.

They lost five batsmen in adding 51 runs with Shaun Udal taking 4 for 89. David Hemp provided the backbone of the Glamorgan innings with an unbeaten 84.

Middlesex's Phil Tufnell continues to nudge the ribs of the England Test selectors. Tufnell, whose season has been interrupted by an appendicitis operation, finished with 4 for 24 in 11 overs, to put Worcestershire in some discomfort at Uxbridge. Worcestershire had been reduced to 116 for 8 in pursuit of 178 from 38 overs before the ninth-wicket pair of Phil Newport and Stuart Lampitt held on for the last 32 balls to force the draw and deny Middlesex their first home win of the season.

Rain also frustrated Northamptonshire's quest for victory against Lancashire at Northampton, after the visitors had been asked to make 271 in 71 overs. Lancashire had lost Mike Atherton (12) and Steve Titchard (5) for 23 when play was abandoned.

Northamptonshire added 155 in 28 overs in the morning before Allan Lamb declared at 223 for 2. Alan Fordham (81) and Rob Bailey (76 not out) shared a 105-run stand for the second wicket.

The Surrey wicketkeeper, Neil Sargeant, was taken to hospital for X-rays on an injured jaw after being struck by a ball from Warwickshire's Allan Donald at Guildford. Donald returned his best figures of the season, 6 for 49, before another unscheduled early close. Surrey, requiring 230 off 54 overs, ended a truncated day on 131 for 7.

Only 14.2 overs were possible in Leicestershire's match against Somerset at Grace Road.

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