VICTORIA bowler Mick Lewis whipped up a storm with five wickets for Durham at Riverside yesterday, but it paled alongside the tempest which swamped the match against Sussex.

After Sunday's washout in Edinburgh, Durham suffered a second successive no-result in the totesport League, although in this case they went close to losing.

A result can be declared under the Duckworth/Lewis method once the side batting second have been in for ten overs and Durham were nine for two in the eighth over in reply to 182 for seven.

They had been back out for three overs after the first shower and the board was showing they needed to be 44 after ten overs to win. With runs almost impossible to find against a swinging ball, Paul Collingwood went for a big hit and was struck on the forearm. He needed attention from the physio, without which Sussex would certainly have squeezed in one more over before the downpour arrived.

Sussex were deeply indebted to temporary overseas man Johan van der Wath for their total as he made an unbeaten 80 off 98 balls.

A 27-year-old South African all-rounder, who has played for Marske, arrived for a two-month stint last week and struck ten fours, as many as the rest of his team-mates put together, plus a six over cover.

Durham had the luxury of resting Liam Plunkett and Mark Davies in order to accommodate Steve Harmison and Neil Killeen.

Coming on second change, Harmison bowled very accurately and after being hit for four off his first ball conceded only 20 more runs in his nine overs.

Killeen had none for 40, while his new ball partner, Lewis, took five for 48, claiming the first three wickets after an inauspicious start which featured a wide and a no-ball in his first over, as well as being carved to third man for four by Matt Prior.

Lewis struck in his second and third overs, pinning Prior lbw then forcing left-hander Michael Yardy to edge to Mike Hussey at second slip.

He also removed another left-hander, former Surrey and England opener Ian Ward, who was looking to work the ball to the off-side with no foot movement when he was bowled through the gate.

Sussex were looking to the experienced pair of Chris Adams and Murray Goodwin to revive them, but when Collingwood came on for the 13th over Adams pushed at his second ball, well wide of off stump, and Phil Mustard took a good catch.

Goodwin looked threatening, hitting four fours in his 20, but Harmison forced him to play on in his second over.

Put in to bat, as Durham were by Surrey eight days earlier, Sussex produced a very similar innings, recovering from 60 for five through a stand of 110 between van der Wath and Robin Martin-Jenkins.

As Dale Benkenstein had done in repairing Durham's innings against Surrey, Martin-Jenkins initially concentrated on survival.

He made only four in his first ten overs at the crease then lofted Collingwood over extra cover for four before finding he could leave the bulk of the stroke-playing to his partner.

There were still few risks, however, as off-spinner Gareth Breese bowled five tight overs before being kept on for one too many in the 39th.

Van der Wath cut, cover drove and on-drove him for three fours to reach 50 off 83 balls.

The sixth wicket pair were threatening massive damage off the last seven overs, but having taken 41 off the first 25 balls Martin Jenkins sliced a drive off Lewis to be caught at third man for 37.

The Victorian yorked Luke Wright to complete his five-wicket haul and with Van der Wath starved of the strike only 12 more runs were added.

Both van der Wath and James Kirtley struggled to control the lavish swing in their opening overs, bowling two wides each.

Kirtley adjusted his line to well wide of left-hander Hussey's off stump and in his second over swung one in to have the Durham skipper lbw before a run had come off the bat.

Nicky Peng took a single off the next over, but then Jon Lewis pushed forward and was bowled by Kirtley just as the rain became too heavy to continue at five for two in the fifth over.

Six overs were lost and on the resumption it was announced Durham's 39-over target was 172, but the light was poor and it was obvious that a downpour was on the way.

It arrived accompanied by winds which whipped up the plastic sheeting as the groundsmen tried to cover the square. They will now hope everything dries out for tomorrow's C & G Trophy tie against Derbyshire.

Read more about Durham here.