Lewis appears in court on drugs charges

Chris Lewis, the former England allrounder, has been further remanded in custody after appearing in court via video link, charged with attempting to import drugs into the UK.

Lewis was arrested on December 9 after a routine inspection of an early-morning flight from St Lucia by customs officials. The UK Border Agency issued a statement saying that 4kg of cocaine, with a street value of £200,000, was found inside fruit tins in luggage.

Lewis appeared in court at Mid Sussex Magistrates Court in Haywards Heath on 17 December, along with Chad Theron Kirnon, a basketball player registered with London Towers during the 2005-06 season. Mr Kirnon, 26, pleaded not guilty to the charges, while Lewis has yet to submit his own plea.

The pair will now be held until 14 January, with a committal hearing due to take place at Croydon Crown Court on 21 January.

Lewis played 32 Tests and 53 one-day internationals in the 1990s, and for Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and Surrey in a varied county career. Last season he made an unexpected return to the professional game when he signed a one-day contract with Surrey, with the idea of playing in the Twenty20 Cup.

When the team was struck down by an early-season injury crisis, Lewis was called up to play a Friends Provident Trophy match against Middlesex, but his six overs disappeared for 51 runs. In the end he made just one Twenty20 appearance, against Essex at The Oval, bowling two overs for 29.