DURHAM skipper Jon Lewis believes Nicky Peng could be in contention for an England place this summer if he maintains the form which brought him a century at Derby on Thursday.

Every county's Professional Cricketers' Association representative has been asked to write an article recommending a middle order batsman and a seamer for England.

It seems there could be a place up for grabs," said Lewis. "The England hierarchy are obviously looking at Warwickshire's Ian Bell, but Nicky could also be in the frame.

"I'm not in any rush to move him up to open because we're looking pretty solid at three, four and five and I'd like to keep it that way."

Lewis is still hopeful of beating Derbyshire, weather permitting today. Any hope of play yesterday was abandoned at 4.20 as there was more rain in the air and the ground had not dried sufficiently following morning rain.

Derbyshire, on 190 for nine in their second innings, are 195 ahead and Lewis said: "We wouldn't want them to get many more because chasing 200 will make it a very competitive game. But I would rather be in our position than their's, especially as they might be a bowler short with Jason Kerr struggling with a hamstring injury."

Although a tight finish is in prospect, Lewis has no regrets about putting Derbyshire in on the first morning.

"I didn't expect it to do a lot, but we are stronger in seam than spin and I didn't think that bowling last was the way to win the game.

"We wanted to take something out of the first hour, which we didn't do because we have not used the new ball as well as we can and we need to look at that.

"To be fair to Steve Harmison he has had absolutely no luck. He has bowled some bad balls and he admits that, but every time the ball comes off the bat off him it goes for four, which makes a mess of his figures.

"Anyone would rather play against Durham without him in the side and I'm not going to lose faith in him.

"His approach to his cricket has improved. He looks after himself even better than before and he's very hard on himself, which doesn't always help.

"He's passing on what he's learnt at the Academy and he took all the bowlers for a swim last night so that they would be ready for this morning.

"He used to wander about barefoot before the start of play, which would panic the physio. But he has put all that behind him."

When Harmison bowled to Derbyshire debutant Mohammad Ali on Thursday the No 9's flashing blade twice sent fours over the slips before Durham posted two third men, a deep gully and a deep backward point.

"We left in only one slip because they said they had no chance of seeing anything at that pace because the sun was very low," said Lewis.

"Ali's first few fours in his first innings were streaky and I fancied Graeme Bridge to get him. But he just kept getting better and in the end I probably left Graeme on an over too long.

"Fortunately our second innings tactics worked when we had Ali caught at third man."

Off-spinner Nicky Phillips is recovering well from his broken knuckle and will play in a one-day game for the seconds on Tuesday.

That will bring him into contention to play in the home Benson & Hedges games against Yorkshire and Lancashire on Wednesday and Thursday.

With Danny Law still doubtful with his back problem, Lewis added that Ian Hunter would also be in the frame for the B & H campaign, which starts at Leicester on Monday