Athletics NORMAN FOX reports from Monte CarloA lot of leg weary, jaded but incorrigibly money-seeking athletes bring down the curtain on the European season here today in the IAAF/Mobil Grand Prix final. Hugh Morris, who has announced his retirement from the Glamorgan captaincy, took full advantage with an unbeaten 144 to lead his side to 344 for 5. His fifth century of the season came off 165 balls with 16 fours.He enjoyed a profitable partnership of 113 with Tony Cottey before Cottey was caught by Paul Pollard for 57 off Bates.For the second successive day there was no play at Southampton, Old Trafford and Scarborough.Gloucestershire's Andrew Symonds will announce on Monday whether he has decided to be English, and take his place on the A Tour to Pakistan, or Australian.. Paul Johnson, next season's Nottinghamshire skipper, took over early from Tim Robinson and put Glamorgan in. Ramiz departed just two balls before the close, which came early due to bad light, when a miscued pull gave an easy catch to mid-on.In the County Championship it was a tale of a new captain and a departing one at Cardiff. Missiles were thrown on to the playing area and the umpires led the teams off the field 20 minutes before tea. Sri Lanka's Sanjeeva Ranatunga, fielding at third man, was the target for the missiles - a piece of broken glass, a stone and an orange - and the umpires decided on an early tea after the authorities failed to quell the trouble. Pakistan's total of 235 for 3 was built around half-centuries by their new captain Ramiz Raja (78), Saeed Anwar (50) and Inzamam-ul-Haq (68no).

Kumble needs only three more successes now to emulate Bishen Bedi, the last Northamptonshire bowler to record 100 Championship wickets in a season, 22 years ago.Much now depends on the kindness of the weather and the fallibility of their rivals but Northamptonshire may yet end their long wait for the title. Indeed, they may win two: with a victory over Sussex at Hove yesterday, their Second XI lead the Rapid Cricketline table and will be champions if Hampshire fail to beat Leicestershire next week.. The opening day of the Test series between Pakistan and Sri Lanka at Peshawar yesterday was overshadowed by crowd trouble. After the heavy rain of Thursday it took two more sessions for the field to dry out here yesterday, but the scattered knots of home supporters who waited for play to start at 3.30 found their patience rewarded.The probability still is that the Championship is bound for elsewhere, but the 43 overs bowled in deepening gloom last night were enough to keep a light shining for Allan Lamb's team. Worcestershire had progressed to 102 for 1, but then stumbled to 113 for 5 and might count themselves fortunate not to be resuming today in even worse shape.In fact, five lights were shining alongside the scoreboard by yesterday's close, but Lamb brought on Jeremy Snape to bowl off-breaks in combination with Anil Kumble's wrist-spin and the tiny crowd were allowed their money's worth.Conditions could not have been much better for Kumble, who again emerged as the devastating ace in Northamptonshire's hand, wresting the initiative with three wickets in the space of 26 deliveries.In no one have Northamptonshire invested more hope of securing the first Championship than their Indian Test player and it was he who broke Worcestershire's fruitful second wicket partnership when Tom Moody, aiming for the shorter scoreboard boundary sent the ball soaring in the other direction to be caught at extra cover.Snape, the catcher, then had Philip Weston caught low down by David Capel at slip before Kumble pushed through a quicker ball to bowl David Leatherdale and then had Steve Rhodes pushing forward warily, caught off bat and pad.

He found another good partner in Keith Brown, and they have so far added 95 runs for the fifth wicket.. JON CULLEY reports from Northampton Worcestershire 124-5 v NorthamptonshireDo not yet discount Northamptonshire. Two sweeps and a cover drive off Adrian Pierson brought Ramprakash to his seventh hundred in 12 innings since making a pair in the Lord's Test match. He and Ramprakash had put on 60.John Carr also batted well until Parsons was brought back and repeated his party trick with his third ball, when he had Carr lbw on the back foot. Then, at 25, he might have been caught at cover off the leading edge when he tried to play Hanse Cronje through mid-wicket, but Vince Wells, who did well to reach the skier, could not hold on.While Ramprakash was batting with all the confidence which sometimes seems to be so crucially missing, Mike Gatting played several uncompromising strokes before pushing Alan Mullally gently off his legs to mid-wicket.