Durham Diary

But they are seeking clarification about when he will have to leave to prepare for the ICC Champions Trophy, which starts on September 8.

So crazy is our domestic programme these days that after next week's visit to Cardiff, Durham have only two championship matches - at home to Derbyshire on July 21-24 and at Leicester on July 27-31 - before entertaining Somerset on August 13. That means they go nearly six weeks in the height of summer without a home four-day game.

They then have three championship games in a fortnight, followed by Yorkshire at Scarborough and Leicestershire at home in early September, and if there is a danger of Shoaib missing most of those games Durham will look for a replacement.

The paceman does not appear to be flavour of the month back home after the row over whether or not he faked his rib injury, and it remains to be seen whether it will be water under the bridge come ICC Trophy time.

IF nightwatchmen in factories proved as useful as those recently sent to the crease at Riverside, there would be robberies every night.

In fact, it is surely time for Durham to consider whether it's an outdated concept. Left with three overs to bat on the first day against Glamorgan and four against Yorkshire, Neil Killeen was told to pad up to bat No 3 but was dismissed both times before the day was out. And when Yorkshire sent Steve Kirby in with seven balls left last Wednesday he was out first ball.

The professional view is that the nightwatchman is there to protect the man at the other end. That's why in the final over of the day last Tuesday Jon Lewis declined an easy single from the non-striker's end.

Had he taken it, Durham might have finished on 15 for one instead of the more psychologically damaging 14 for two which swiftly became the reality.

Psychology further came into it by relegating Gary Pratt to No 7 and Gareth Breese to No 8 when batsmen tend to react better to going up the order rather than down.

PALLAV Kumar has suspended his business computing course at Sunderland University because he wants to make every effort to become an established first-class cricketer.

"I have done two years and was on work experience this year, but I've given that up," he said. "I still have the option to go back and do my final year, but I love cricket and want to concentrate on playing for Durham."

Born in India, he came to Carlisle, where his father works as a physio, seven years ago aged 15. He played for Carlisle CC for four years and was the professional there for half a season last year before joining Newcastle City.

He played three Minor Counties games for Cumberland, plus a C & G Trophy match against Scotland, before Durham became interested.

"I'd had bits of coaching before, but not much," he said. "I played a bit for Durham seconds last year then trained with the squad over the winter. I was about to travel to Surrey with the A team when I was told Shoaib was injured and I was needed in the first team to play against Glamorgan.

"It was a shock and I was very nervous when I started my first spell. But I enjoyed it and it was a great experience to play at Trent Bridge in the next match. I thought I did OK there."

Although primarily a seam bowler, Pallav scored 21 in the second innings against Nottinghamshire and recently hit a century for Newcastle City against Swalwell. "I would like to think I could bat at seven or eight for Durham," he added.

IT was good to see Phil Jaques drop a couple of catches for Yorkshire at Riverside as Australians generally seem to be so much better than us in the slips.

David Boon was exceptional there for Durham, Marcus North hasn't missed anything, and Martin Love was pretty useful until broken fingers persuaded him to field elsewhere.

Without Love and Paul Collingwood for much of last season, it became a problem area for Durham. But they haven't missed much this year in the slips, where Ian Pattison has looked very sharp on his rare appearances.

NOT that it would have made much difference in a 320-run defeat, but Nicky Peng was deprived of two runs in his first innings 37 against Yorkshire. Richard Dawson made a sliding stop and was unquestionably in contact with the boundary rope when he touched the ball.

He shrugged his shoulders, but had the umpires bothered to ask him he would surely have had to say it was a four. It happens quite frequently these days, and unless the fielder has clearly flicked the ball in-field before hitting the rope it's time to start awarding boundaries.

DURHAM are eighth in the ECB Spirit of Cricket League, in which points are awarded at the end of each County Championship game by the umpires. A score of three is considered exceptional, and Essex are top with 2.69, Durham are on 2.37 and Middlesex are bottom with 1.58.

Read more about Durham County Cricket Club here.