Cricket / Round-Up: Ward's effort in vain thanks to untimely rain

A GAP of 43 points separates Middlesex and Surrey at the top of the Championship table after Surrey's game at Canterbury was affected by rain yesterday, writes Richard Wetherell. Glamorgan are in second place, four points ahead of Surrey.

David Ward reached 151 not out before they declared to leave Kent 303 in a minimum of 42 overs. Any attempt at a mad scrabble for the runs was denied when the heavens opened before Kent went in.

That completed a pretty bad day for the acting captain Monte Lynch. He was given out hit wicket by the square-leg umpire and then delayed the declaration. Despite an interruption for rain he batted on for two more overs before calling a halt.

Ward had a much happier time. His first hundred of the season came off 187 balls, following on from his 61 in the first innings, and he put on 177 with Darren Bicknell (81) for the second wicket.

Martin Speight's onslaught took Sussex to a fifth consecutive win in all competitions. His 71 off just 40 balls was a nice way to get the eye in for today's NatWest Trophy semi-final against Glamorgan. Set 167 by Worcestershire, Sussex got off to a sluggish start with the first 19 overs realising only 26 runs. Neil Lenham made 55 before falling to Martin

Weston. Speight put on 88 with Bill Athey, hitting eight fours and four sixes as Sussex won by nine wickets.

Starting the day 122 ahead with two wickets left, Worcestershire's plight was not helped when Phil Newport fell in the second over. The last wicket pair of Richard Illingworth and Kenny Benjamin then put on 37 until Benjamin was caught at slip.

Rain prevented any chance of a result at Durham University. Following the first day wash-out, play did not start until after lunch. While the players played out to the inevitable draw, Derbyshire's acting captain John Morris scored 83 from 99 balls with 12 fours and two sixes. This took his tally from the last five innings to 532.

Durham's 17-year-old Steven Lugsden took his first Championship wickets - those of Adrian Rollins and Matthew Vandrau - while Gary Steer, five years older, managed to avoid the ignominy of a pair with an unbeaten 37.