Durham Senior League: For the second week in succession Hetton Lyons will be involved in the day's top fixture, writes Bob Gidney.

League leaders Whitburn, now 23 points ahead of Lyons, are the visitors. A decent result is paramount for Hetton Lyons if they are to keep in touch at the top. They will be looking for a better all round display today after being outplayed in every department last week at Eppleton.

It is not often openers Sean Birbeck and Marc Hopkinson are dismissed without making any contribution with the bat, a rarity that happened last week.

Whitburn therefore may be in for a backlash for this. Birbeck currently averages 94 and Hopkinson 49 so Whitburn will be looking to establish an early breakthrough.

They too have their own run machine in Ashley Thorpe. The left handed batsman has hit 469 runs to date and with Whitburn batting deep down the order it may well be that the batsmen control the game.

Paul Cook is absent for Whitburn and wicket keeper Gary Ventriss returned. Hetton Lyons expect to be unchanged.

Eppleton will be looking for 20 points at Felling, who had their first win last week.

However, Felling hero Chris Pleasants, who was persuaded to turn out last Saturday, is unlikely to be available much during the summer. Malcolm Norman and Micky Nolan return to the team.

Lee Welch and Neil McKinney are still absent injured for Eppleton, but Stuart Lacey is available again.

Durham City travel to Burnmoor and the basement club would need to produce a shock result if they are to win. Skipper Brian Stone is not available and Paul Price takes over the leadership.

Burnmoor are able to announce an unchanged lineup, which has been unusual for them this summer.

They are now becoming more consistent and, after two straight wins have a glorious opportunity to make it three in a row.

Boldon have become this season's draw specialists with seven out of their eight games played.

They are currently unbeaten and will view the game with Seaham Harbour as a chance to register a victory. Chris Miller returns to the side and Simon Lee Johnson reverts to the second team.

The Harbour have two regular players returning but they are in place of another two established members of their side. Duncan Lorraine and Neil Swainston miss the Burnmoor fixture and Simon Weston and Steve Sennett are set to come back.

South Shields travel to Horden making one change to the side that lost heavily at Whitburn last week.

With captain Mike Fishwick still unavailable Neil Dixon continues to captain the team. Jonny Wightman has been named in their XI with Jon Schofield being excluded.

Horden will be without Min Mahill and Tony Murphy. However, in Andrew Robson and Nadeen Khan they may well have sufficient to provide Shields with another batting dilemma.

South Hetton have moved into fourth place and could well be too strong for Marsden.

The main news at South Hetton is that Bob Steel will return. Steel in the South Hetton batting line-up gives them a more secure look, and with support from John Pendlington and Ashok Patel the three could well present Marsden with problems.

* The league U21 team are involved in the KV Computer Services Cup tomorrow.

They travel to Newton Aycliffe to play the North East Durham League and the side selected is:

R Potter (Boldon), D Lowther (Eppleton), P Dias (Durham City), A Turns (Whitburn), K Bradbury (South Hetton), E Doherty (Marsden), G Adey, M Walker (both Hetton Lyons), M Dunn (South Shields), A Ludlow (Burnmoor), P Davison (South Hetton).