THERE was mixed news for Durham on the pace bowling front yesterday as Melvyn Betts went to see a specialist about his latest knee injury and Steve Harmison was named in the second team for today.

Betts, who has yet to get through a full season, was due to have a scan on his left knee after it became badly swollen on Saturday.

He has been carrying a niggling complaint in his right knee all season, which forced him to miss the recent match at Old Trafford, but this looks more serious.

After clean bowling Somerset skipper Jamie Cox on Saturday, he began to struggle in his second spell and took no part on Sunday as the visitors wriggled off the hook.

The final day of the match was washed out yesterday, leaving both sides with nine points and wrecking Durham's hopes of narrowing the 15-point gap between them.

Apart from Sunday's National League game at Cardiff, they now have a nine-day break before facing Kent at the Riverside next Wednesday.

Kent are one place above them with a game in hand, which they will make up by playing Leicestershire at Canterbury, starting tomorrow.

Betts was Durham's leading wicket-taker with 39 until Simon Brown nipped ahead of him on Sunday, but he is doubtful for the Kent match.

It is hoped that Harmison can prove his fitness after his shin complaint in the three-day second team match against Kent starting at Ropery Lane, Chester-le-Street, today.

Jimmy Daley, who has had a neck injury, and Martin Speight (groin) will also play after being ruled out of contention for the Somerset game.

At 73 for three in their second innings, Durham were 85 ahead with an interesting final day in prospect, for which the club had offered free admission. But with rain still falling, the match was abandoned after an early lunch.

l FOR the second successive season Durham seconds will have to visit Southampton in the semi-finals of the AON Trophy.

They have a score to settle as last year the Hampshire ground staff showed no interest in mopping up after morning rain. There was no spare day and the hosts went through by virtue of having won more group games.

A reserve day has been scheduled this season