Date-stamped : 12 Jun96 - 22:15 13 June 1996 Britannic Assurance Ch`ship: Northants looking for a lift By Charles Randall ONE-DAY cricket might provide a quick lift to glory, but the Bri- tannic Assurance Championship remains very much the stairs, a trudge up 17 flights. Northamptonshire, top of the Sunday League and through to the 50-overs final, have not yet won a four-day match and have fallen well off the pace. Rob Bailey`s side have already been left wheezing on the four-day mezzanine, with little taste for the upward climb. Second to bottom, they have lost three of their five matches, with a bristling Essex side to subdue at Chelmsford, starting today. It must be significant that David Roberts, the England Under-19 batsman, has been brought in for his debut, with a period of transformation at Northampton in prospect. Last year Northants held top place for two months until mid-July before finishing third, and it is even more curious that this summer the gnarled pros have excelled in the one-dayers while youth have secured most of their few good four-day moments. Mike Gatting was taken ill with a high temperature yesterday and could miss Middlesex`s game against second-placed Kent at Canterbury. Richard Johnson, an important part of the seam at- tack, is due to return after a knee operation. Middlesex have ridden an unsettling start very well, winning three games out of five without Dion Nash, their injured New Zealand bowler, and Johnson. Lancashire, fourth last year, are a major county without a four-day win, and Mike Watkinson`s side are expected to per- form at Durham`s Riverside ground after yesterday`s Benson and Hedges victory. None of Lancashire`s four Test batsmen have yet scored a championship hundred this season. Source :: Electronic Telegraph (http.//www.telegraph.co.uk) Contributed by Shash (shs2@*.cwru.edu)