THINGS look as bad now for Durham as they did at the end of the 1996 season, when Simon Brown was thrust into the captaincy after Michael Roseberry resigned.

The difference this time is that Jon Lewis has not quit and the signs are that he will again be at the helm next season, possibly batting down the order and relishing tough competition for his place.

"I think he will continue as captain," said coach Martyn Moxon after Northants had wrapped up a seven-wicket win ten minutes before lunch on the third day at the Riverside.

"We want to create a situation where there is good competition for places and I can see that happening with Michael Gough and Gary Pratt providing good opening partnerships during Jon's absence.

"We hope to sign one experienced player as well as a second overseas man, but the situation won't be clear until England contracts are decided.

"We hope to know next week who's getting them."

There has been a rumour that Moxon would like to sign his former teammate Craig White if Yorkshire's debts force them to cut their wage bill, although any interest would be killed off if White got back on to the list of players with England contracts.

"Craig is a Yorkshire player and we are not in the market for him at the moment," said Moxon.

"We can't start talking about bringing someone in from outside until everyone knows their financial situation."

Neither Lewis nor Paul Collingwood are likely to play again for Durham this season, but with three one-day and three championship matches left Victoria batsman Brad Hodge could come in next week.

Mark Davies is expected to be fit for Monday's National League match at home to Somerset, despite becoming another untimely casualty yesterday.

Durham added only seven runs while losing their last two wickets to Carl Greenidge to be all out for 136, with Davies on six not out after surviving at the crease for almost two and a half hours over the two innings.

He took a nasty rap on the thumb from a Greenidge lifter and went for an X-ray, which showed no break.

But the absence of their most consistent seamer didn't help Durham when Northants began their pursuit of 141 to win.

With two men back, Stephen Harmison gambled by trying to snare Rob White off a miscued hook, only to see his third ball clear the rope over fine leg and his fourth edged to the left of first slip. Gordon Muchall got his hands to the ball but couldn't hang on.

When Neil Killeen's first ball disappeared down the leg side for four wides it was clear the initiative would remain with the visitors and they had 50 on the board in the eighth over. With his score on 24 White again hooked Harmison and Nicky Peng, running to his right at long leg, briefly held the ball inches before his momentum took him over the rope.

There was a third hooked six from White, this time firmly middled, as Harmison conceded 45 runs from six overs.

"We had to attack," explained acting captain Nicky Phillips.

"It looks as though we have bowled very badly but we had to stick with attacking fields.

"We had heard that White took on Simon Jones last week against Glamorgan, so we tried to bounce him out. It almost worked."

Moxon added: "Steve was trying to attack and if the catch had stuck in the first over things might have turned out differently.

"In the last month he has improved a lot.

"We don't want to discourage him from bowling fast. The aim eventually is for him to be fast and accurate and we have seen some progress towards that.

"We lost this match in our second innings collapse on the second evening after being well placed at 60-odd in front with ten wickets standing.

"Throughout the season we have got into potential winning positions then had a bad session at a crucial time.

"Young players have to learn that when they are in and playing well they have to maintain their levels of concentration."

In Davies's absence Phillips gambled by bringing on Muchall with the score on 70 for none after nine overs, and Durham were looking thoroughly demoralised when he started with one of his five no-balls and was hit for two fours in his first over by Mark Powell.

Marc Symington can never be faulted for effort and he had White caught at the wicket for 45 with the score on 96 in the 13th over.

Every innings in the match began with half-century stands followed by a tumble of wickets, but when Powell edged Muchall to Andrew Pratt in the next over Northants were too close to victory to be alarmed.

David Sales pulled Muchall for the fourth six of the innings before holing out at deep backward square with four runs needed.

Jeff Cook drove Symington through extra cover in the next over and the visitors had reached their target in 24.3 overs.

Following the fall of 17 wickets the previous day, pitch liaison officer Phil Sharpe was on the ground yesterday and it is clear that the uneven bounce in the last two championship matches has seen the Riverside pitches fall below the high standards of mid-season.

In this case one end got damp during a torrential downpour last Friday, merely adding to the problems of an inexperienced and struggling team who need optimum batting conditions to rebuild their confidence.

Read more about Durham here.