IT will be almost like starting afresh for Durham tomorrow when they face Somerset at Taunton greatly strengthened by having Paul Collingwood and Shoaib Akhtar in the team.

Collingwood was in the nets at Riverside yesterday, when the match against Essex sauntered to the predictable draw, while confirmation arrived that Shoaib had landed at Heathrow.

After struggling to build any momentum in three championship matches during which the equivalent of five days have been lost to rain, the improved forecast means Durham can now look forward to four good days at Taunton.

They will hope that favourable batting conditions and the presence of Collingwood to bring experience to the middle order will inspire a big improvement on yesterday's collapse to 63 for six.

With a first innings lead of 74, and only 52 overs left in the match, there was a lack of incentive for Durham. But most of the top order are struggling for form and should have welcomed the chance to spend time at the crease on a sunny afternoon.

Three got out instead to Irishman Adrian McCoubrey, and three more edged John Stephenson's gentle swingers to the slips.

Had the collapse continued there was a danger of giving Essex a victory target of around 150 in 25 overs, but Andrew Pratt and Ian Pattison survived for seven overs to take the score to 88, by which time a draw was inevitable and a halt was called with Durham on 121 for eight.

Collingwood arrived back with the England squad from the West Indies on Friday and does not yet know whether he will be required for the first Test against New Zealand starting on Thursday week.

"I've been told I can play straightaway and it's important that I get some runs for Durham and I also hope to get a few overs under my belt," he said.

"I haven't been made any promises about playing Test cricket this summer. Those who played in the Tests in the West Indies were fantastic. Batting against Edwards and Best was the ultimate challenge and it was a great learning experience for me watching them.

"I just have to continue improving my own game and if the opportunity comes to play I have to make sure I'm ready for it.

"The first two one-dayers in the West Indies were tough because I hadn't played for such a long time. But it was good to get into a bit of form and score 45 not out in the last match.

"I was back to batting at No 6 after being tried at four. It's a different role because you have to make sure you stay with the tail-enders and are still there at the end of the innings.

"I'm still working as hard as ever on my bowling, but the white ball doesn't swing after five or six overs in those conditions, so I have to fall back on things like changes of pace. Hopefully I can still swing the red ball."

Collingwood has recovered from the broken nose he suffered while playing basketball two weeks ago and says his shoulder is back to full strength following the operation which ruled him out for most of last season.

"In Sri Lanka I was still a bit tentative about diving around, but now I don't even think about it," he said. "I had time to do a lot of fitness work in the West Indies, so I feel really strong."

As expected, Stephen Harmison has been told to rest until the first Test and the chances are that Durham will not see him at all this season.

But, assuming he is fit, Shoaib will provide them with a useful spearhead on what is usually a good batting pitch at Taunton.

Durham also have Mark Davies very much in form and he has 18 wickets in the championship this season, even though the opposition have batted only once in three of the four games.

He took two of the three remaining Essex wickets after play began at 1.40 yesterday following a 30-minute cloudburst at 10am.

Davies had figures of five for 30 from 20 overs, as Essex were dismissed for 265, and visiting coach Graham Gooch was among those who were apparently greatly impressed.

Davies rattled Stephenson where it hurts most with the second ball of the day, then almost had him caught at second slip and short leg in the same over.

The bounce forced Ryan ten Doeschate to pop up a catch to short leg, then Davies completed his five-wicket haul by having Stephenson caught at first slip by Marcus North.

Neil Killeen captured his only wicket when Danish Kaneria drove him to extra cover, where Jon Lewis took a good catch.

Durham's innings was a shambles with Gordon Muchall the only batsman in the top six to reach double figures. He showed the benefits of his first innings 94 by reaching 35 out of 51 for four at tea, and had hit eight fours when he was out for 40.

Andrew Pratt made 19 before offering a bat-pad catch in leg-spinner Danish Kaneria's first over, while Tahir Mughal showed he could bat after his unlucky first-ball dismissal in the first innings.

He finished on 17 not out, but will now make way for Shoaib, assuming the Pakistani is fit.