Foster's ECB North-East Regional Premier League: After losing two of their first three games, Stockton face another stern test this morning when they host Durham Academy.

Geoff Cook's side have proved difficult to beat during the League's five years and have drawn all three matches this season.

"We lost to Newcastle on the opening day before the game at Blaydon was washed out. Although we went down to Sunderland last Saturday we gave them a good game but we will need to be at our best this time out if we are to celebrate an initial victory." said Stockton official Mike Syson.

Chris Oliver for the unavailable Chris Hooker is the home side's only change while the Academy, who always boast a host of promising players, will field a strong line up.

Norton have started with two draws and one defeat and have a chance to chalk up their first success with home advantage over bottom of the table Tynemouth.

A boost for Norton is the return of Nicky Beall and Stephen Purcifer.

The game of the day is between Chester-le-Street and leaders Blaydon at Ropery Lane. Although the Cestrians have yet to win they will challenge for the championship and today's encounter is expected to be a close run affair.

Chester-le-Street have a surfeit of players to choose from, which no doubt precipitated the recent move of pace bowler Joe Dodd to Philadelphia. Blaydon rely on home grown talent and one of their local players Craig Simpson is sidelined, he played his first game last Saturday but aggravated an ankle injury. His place goes to youngster Mark Hawthorne and absent for the second successive week is injury victim Durham County's Graeme Onions.

Philadelphia make two changes for the visit of Sunderland to Bunker Hill.

Youngster Thomas Raine, who batted beautifully in last week's cup tie at Ryhope, is promoted alongside former captain, all-rounder Andrew Robinson.

Skipper Stuart Walker will hope the pair add stability to the middle order after the innings has appeared fragile in the early games.

Freddie Napier makes an early return to his former club with Sunderland. It was a shock when he left Bunker Hill during the close season, but he's included in a full strength Sunderland line-up.

South Northumberland are still hopeful their West Indian pace bowler Kerry Jaremy will arrive in time to make his debut at Gateshead Fell. Michael Falley, who scored a half century last weekend, is unavailable.

Callum Ferguson will play his second game after signing for Gateshead Fell. The Australian impressed in a cup match last weekend and the Fell are confident he will give the attack a cutting edge.

* The Pakistan Cricket Board have strongly hinted they would be prepared to play Twenty20 international matches against England and India when the two sides tour the country next season.

England are scheduled to visit Pakistan from October 22, while India are set to play their neighbours from January 2, 2006.

Both countries will play three Tests and five one-day internationals in Pakistan.

When the English and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) originally proposed to include a Twenty20 match in the tour, the PCB Chairman Shaharyar Khan declined the offer on the grounds that Twenty20 cricket was still not recognised or promoted by the International Cricket Council (ICC).

But after the tremendous success of the first Twenty20 Cup tournament held in Lahore last month, the PCB now appear to have had a change of heart.

The PCB's director of board operations Abbas Zaidi said: ''We are not averse to playing Twenty20 matches against England and India on the coming tours."