DURHAM can move into a promotion challenging position by winning their totesport League match against Scotland at Riverside tomorrow.

They currently lie fifth in the second division after winning three of their five matches, and they have won their last two very comfortably.

Providing Shoaib Akhtar recovers from a virus, they will field the side which dismissed Derbyshire for 82 and went on to win by seven wickets on Monday.

Shoaib missed Thursday night's friendly at Blackhall and yesterday's practice because of his illness.

"He seems to have got over his rib injury and now this has struck, but he should be OK for Sunday," said coach Martyn Moxon. "It's a shame he wasn't at nets today as I was hoping he could shed some light on Scotland's overseas men, Arafat and Sriram.

"We will not be taking them lightly."

In the second season of their three-year experimental foray into the league, Scotland have so far lost all five games, in contrast to their good start last year.

Although they eventually finished bottom, there was jubilation from the kilted contingent in a crowd of 2,000 as Scotland eased home by four wickets with four balls to spare on their National League debut at Riverside.

They then won at home to Somerset, when Rhodesia-born batsman Ryan Watson smashed a sensational 43-ball century.

Although Watson is still in the team, it does not currently include 21-year-old Paisley-born off-spinner Majid Haq, who took three wickets in four balls and finished with four for 36 at Riverside as Durham struggled to 167 for seven.

The Scots were able to use the extra pace of Stephen Harmison to flash anything short and wide to the boundary behind point.

Victory was almost assured after they put on 75 for the first wicket.

Durham exacted clinical revenge at the Grange when the Scots were reduced to six for five by Shoaib in a 114-run defeat.

Despite the low-scoring disappointment against Derbyshire, the pitch will again be on the pavilion side of the square, where quick run-scoring usually proves difficult.

Moxon said: "It was a good win against Derbyshire, and an important one, but it was not a pitch to produce exciting viewing for the fans.

"We hope this one will be better."

Durham (from): J J B Lewis (capt), M J North, N Peng, P D Collingwood, G J Muchall, G J Pratt, G R Breese, A Pratt, Shoaib Akhtar, N Killeen, M Davies, I Pattison, G Onions.

Read more about Durham County Cricket Club here.