THE Durham curse has struck already. Five days before the season begins they heard yesterday that Australian seam bowler Ashley Noffke will not be fit to play until around May 22.

Noffke, who will be 28 on April 30, has a history of back trouble but his latest problem is not thought to be related to his old complaint.

Durham coach Martyn Moxon said: "He had a back twinge in the Pura Cup final and a scan has revealed a hot spot in his lower back. The Queensland medical staff said he could bowl but there would be a danger of it turning into a stress fracture.

"It's a blow, but we are used to it. We will discuss the possibility of bringing in a replacement but at the moment we are not too concerned because we hope to have Steve Harmison with us for the first four championship games and all the other bowlers have been in good form on the pre-season tour."

Moxon is more concerned about finding a replacement for new skipper Mike Hussey, who will be away for five weeks from early June with the Australian one-day squad.

"Darren Lehmann is not available, but Michael Bevan is a possibility," said Moxon.

"He struggled with a knee injury in the short time he had at Kent last season, but he has had a fantastic season back home. I knew him when he was with Yorkshire and got on well with him."

It was also reported in India yesterday that Durham have spoken to opening batsman Gautam Gambhir.

Noffke was the only absentee at yesterday's photo-call at Riverside, where flurries of snow had Harmison joking: "I don't know if I'll be able to play in this cold."

Durham begin with a championship match at Leicester starting on Wednesday and the England management have made Harmison available to play in that match, then the games against Worcestershire at Riverside and Somerset at Stockton, and finally the clash with relegated Lancashire at Old Trafford.

He can also play in the C & G Trophy second round tie at home to Derbyshire on May 4, but not the totesport League games, and he was also told not to go on Durham's tour to Dubai and Sharjah.

While deposed captain Jon Lewis staked his claim to open with Hussey by making two hundreds on the tour, Moxon was delighted with the bowlers' efforts.

"The pitches were dry and had a bit of grass on them, but they weren't helpful to the bowlers," he said.

Liam Plunkett, Graham Onions, Mark Davies and Neil Killeen all looked good and they bowled well as a unit.

"Mark Turner also did well when he played and Dale Benkenstein bowled a bit - he's a similar pace to Paul Collingwood."

Callum Thorp, the Western Australia swing bowler recommended by Hussey, had just started to bowl at the end of the tour after having stitches removed following an operation to remove a cancerous mole.

* Durham are to hold a Meet The Players evening at Riverside on Monday, April 18 (7.30). The whole squad and coach Martyn Moxon will be present. Entry is free for members and £5 for others and those wishing to attend are asked to ring Yvette Thompson on 0191 387 2873.

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