DURHAM will again be spared the ordeal of facing Michael Kasprowicz over the next few days as they take on a Glamorgan team who are without any overseas players at Cardiff.

Kasprowicz, who twice took nine wickets in an innings against Durham last season, and Matthew Elliott are both briefly back in Australia.

The paceman was also absent when Glamorgan beat Durham by 201 runs at Riverside last month and he is again required by Australia, this time for their two home Tests against Sri Lanka.

Opening batsman Elliott is on paternity leave as his wife has just presented him with a daughter.

Glamorgan, second in the table behind Notts, have decided not to replace either of their overseas duo.

Ian Thomas is expected to open the batting and Jon Hughes comes into the middle order for Adrian Dale in the one other change from the side which played at Riverside.

Durham hope to have a clearer idea at the weekend of when they can expect to lose Shoaib Akhtar, who is expecting a visit on Saturday from Pakistan's new coach, Bob Woolmer.

Durham usually play two spinners at Sophia Gardens, although they have usually gone there later in the season during a hot, dry spell.

With Liam Plunkett awaiting the results of a scan on a back problem, they have Graham Onions in their squad to give them the option of an extra seamer if there is any damp around.

But the signs are that Graeme Bridge will play his first championship game since breaking a finger in the third match of the season at Derby.

The left-arm spinner played at Cardiff last year, when he and Nicky Phillips shared nine wickets but couldn't prevent Glamorgan amassing 444 in their first innings on the way to an eight-wicket win.

As well as giving 20-year-old Scot Kyle Coetzer his senior debut, Durham plan to shake up the batting by opening with Gareth Breese, while Marcus North drops down to the middle order.

With skipper Jon Lewis struggling for form, Durham have not yet managed a half-century opening partnership in the championship this season.

Durham (from): J J B Lewis (capt), G R Breese, G J Muchall, M J North, N Peng, K Coetzer, A Pratt, G D Bridge, Shoaib Akhtar, N Killeen, M Davies, G Onions.

Yorkshire, unbeaten on their travels in the Championship this season, need nothing less than a win in their promotion tussle with Hampshire.

Hampshire stand third and Yorkshire fourth, 22 points adrift, but with the top two, Nottinghamshire and Glamorgan, both looking strong, it is the third promotion spot which is up for grabs.

Matthew Wood, captain in the absence of the injured Craig White, will be eager to avoid conceding the double following Hampshire's emphatic 119-run win at Headingley in May.

And while Hampshire were busy beating Somerset in the last round of matches, Yorkshire were losing ground, taking only nine points from their rain-ruined draw with Leicestershire.

Although Yorkshire will be short on experience through the absence of White (hamstring), Darren Lehmann (in Australia for the series with Sri Lanka) and Anthony McGrath (England), Byas said: "There are a number of players in the team who are desperately hungry for first team cricket and who have occasionally expressed their concern at not getting into the side.

"Now they have their chance it is up to them to seize it.''

If Andy Gray plays it will be his first game of the season after struggling early on with a broken bone in his wrist.

Hampshire are without inspirational captain Shane Warne, who suffered a hand injury before leaving for Australia.