WESTERN Australia swing bowler Callum Thorp will taste his first action for Durham in a three-day Second X1 Championship match against Yorkshire at Headingley starting today.

Thorp, 30, is from the same club and state sides as skipper Mike Hussey, who felt he would do well in English conditions.

But his start to the English season was held up by having a cancerous mole removed from his back and Durham's brilliant form means he currently has no hope of breaking into the first team.

Thorp has British parents and does not count as an overseas player, so he is here for the full season, unlike Durham's other Australian bowler, Mick Lewis.

Deputising for back injury victim Ashley Noffke until around May 20, Lewis has played in the two totesport League victories but also has little chance of championship action until Steve Harmison becomes unavailable.

Harmison can play in the next two games, against Somerset at Stockton starting on May 6 and Lancashire at Old Trafford five days later.

Barring injuries, Lewis's only chance of four-day action looks to be against Yorkshire at Riverside starting on May 20.

"It's a bit of a problem," said bowling coach Alan Walker. "We would like him to have some cricket in case he's needed, but the rest of the squad also need to play if we are to bring them on for the future.

"Mick practises regularly and trains really hard. He fits in well and will probably get a bit of cricket in the one-day games next week, so we're not playing him in the A team."

Joining Thorp in the attack at Headingley will be Graham Onions, Gavin Hamilton and former England Under 19 paceman Mark Turner, with all-rounder Gary Scott and Graeme Bridge providing the spin.

The Pratt brothers, Gary and Andrew, are also in the side, aiming to press for first team recalls after both being Player of the Year in recent seasons.

The first team have totesport matches against Scotland at The Grange, Edinburgh, on Sunday and Sussex at Riverside next Monday, with the C & G Trophy tie against Derbyshire also at Riverside two days later.

* Merv Hughes believes England will buckle under the intense pressure of the Ashes series.

The former Australia paceman admits England have improved but he doubts whether the old enemy can match the ruthlessness of the world champions over the five-Test series, which begins at Lord's on July 21.

The 43-year-old - best remembered for the 31 wickets he took from almost 300 overs on the 1993 Ashes tour, helping Australia to a 4-1 victory - predicts a 3-1 scoreline, with a wash-out along the way and a token England victory when Australia have already won the series.

''The thing about England players is they love playing when there's no pressure on them,'' Hughes told Sydney's Sun-Herald newspaper.

''That hasn't changed over the years. They have plenty of ability with no grunt, or they have plenty of grunt with no ability.

''The important thing about the Australians is they love applying pressure to the opposition and just watching them crack wide open.

''They have a lot of ability with tons of grunt to go with it - and that's the big difference.

''The thing I admire about this Australian team is that when their backs are against the wall, to a man they stand up. There are no passengers.

''When England are against the wall, they've only got three or four players who are capable of standing up, but it's a very heavy anchor for them to drag along.''

Hughes said self-belief will play a massive role in the outcome.