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Lewry ends up on top

Sussex (231 & 192) bt Durham (141 & 274) by 8 runs

In the pecking order of England's left-arm swingers Jason Lewry has moved ahead of Simon Brown, who was discarded from consideration after one Test.

Coming face to face in the final shoot-out on Saturday, it was Lewry who seized the game when he bowled Brown to match his rival's nine-wicket haul in the match and give Sussex victory by eight runs at the Riverside.

It was a roller-coaster day for Lewry, mirroring a career in which international ambitions have been stymied by injuries. He conceded eight off the day's first over and his no-balls contributed heavily to the 97 extras Sussex conceded in the match.

Even when it came to the crunch, with Durham needing 29 after tea with two wickets left, his first over went for 13. But Chris Adams kept faith and two excellent deliveries in four balls settled the drama.

Lewry first bowled Paul Collingwood for a splendid 50, then Brown's demise enabled Sussex to exchange places with their hosts by moving into the top half of the table.

Lewry was admirably supported on Saturday by Mark Robinson, who ended Jimmy Daley's 332-minute vigil to bring in Martin Speight with 60 needed.

The Speight Sussex once knew might have settled it. But Robinson tied him down and Lewry slanted one across him to induce an edge to second slip.

Hampshire were denied the chance to go up one place to second in the table when rain washed out the last day's play of their game with Gloucestershire at Nevil Road yesterday.

The home side were 223 ahead in their second-innings at 96 for eight, and the stalemate means that Hampshire instead drop to sixth place.