IT was during the wet Saturday nine days ago that I first tried to arrange a chat with Mick Lewis. I think he was heavily involved in a card school at the time, so the answer came back that he'd rather do it on the Monday. It's also the Aussie way - they'd rather do interviews after a match than during.

So it came to pass that last Monday Mick sat with a bare foot on the table in one of Riverside's hospitality boxes, striking me as the most laid-back person I'd ever interviewed.

Would he fancy coming back for a full season next year? "Yeah, that would be fun."

Had he enjoyed his two short stints with Durham this season? "Yeah, we all enjoyed each other's company and made each other laugh."

Why was he a late developer in the game? "I enjoyed my Friday and Saturday nights too much."

Lewis had previously played Aussie Rules football and was 23 before he played cricket seriously. At 25 he made his first-class debut with Victoria and at 31 he now has a one-year central contract with Australia, but before he can join Mike Hussey on the A tour in Pakistan on September 7 he has some serious business to attend to.

He's a witness at the David Hookes manslaughter trial, starting today in Melbourne, where in the Centenary Test 30 years ago Hookes hit Tony Greig for five successive fours. I remember seeing him play at Ashbrooke, Sunderland, in 1977 for the Australians against the Minor Counties.

Hookes was in his second season as Victoria's coach when he lost his life, aged 49, outside a nightclub in an incident involving a bouncer. Lewis says he didn't see the fateful punch but he saw the incident leading up to it.

He's had 18 months to get over shock, during which the influence of other coaches such as Dennis Lillee, Rodney Hogg and Merv Hughes has helped him earn his central contract.

"Merv is very good on the technical side," he said. "Hogg is good at telling you how to think batsmen out, and Lillee improved my action to prevent injury.

"I started out bowling in-swing, but now it mainly goes the other way and I vary my pace quite a bit. Mostly I bowl at 80 per cent but once or twice an over I let it go - it's more of a surprise to batsmen to bowl a quicker ball than a slower one."

The fact that Lewis has a good fitness record is one reason why Durham might consider him for next season ahead of the man he replaced, Ashley Noffke.

In five championship games Lewis took 26 wickets at 23.6, while Noffke had 15 wickets at 27.0 before breaking down in his fifth match.

Their totesport League records were almost identical - nine wickets at 15 - until Lewis bowed out with four for 13 in last Tuesday's floodlit match against Leicestershire. It might not be the last we see of him.

THINGS could hardly have gone worse for Durham on Friday as the Roses rivals took 11 points each from their high-scoring draw and Essex pulled off an extraordinary win at Derby after trailing by 120 runs on first innings. They needed 337 to win in 88 overs and got home by five wickets with three overs to spare, with Andy Flower following his match-winning century against Durham at Southend with 104.

Prior to Southend Essex were 37 points behind Durham but now have the gap down to 13. There are only 17 points covering the top four and Yorkshire and Lancashire both have a game in hand.

While Durham face Yorkshire at Scarborough this week, Essex entertain Somerset and Lancashire play Worcestershire at Blackpool.

After that the remaining fixtures are: Durham - home to Derbyshire and Northants; Yorkshire - Worcestershire (H), Derbyshire (A), Northants (A); Essex - Lancashire (H), Worcestershire (A); Lancashire - Northants (A), Essex (A), Leicestershire (H).

Durham sit out the final programme starting on September 21, when their three rivals will all be playing.

DURING Durham's floodlit match at Derby last month one of their staunchest supporters, Harry Wilson, of Houghton-le-Spring, suffered a severe stroke. After two weeks in Derby Royal Infirmary he has since been in Tyzack Ward, Monkwearmouth Hospital, where he is now well enough to have written me a letter, kindly forwarded by his daughter, Dianne.

Harry wishes to thank all members and friends who have sent him get well cards and adds: "I may not be able to attend the Riverside in the near future, but I will make every effort to be there the day we win promotion.