Local cricket preview: Great Ayton welcome Sri Lankan Milan Gunaratne when they meet Darlington RA in the Darlington Building Society NYSD Premier League Premier Division this afternoon.

A left-hand opening batsman and right-arm off-spinner, Ayton hope Gunaratne will give them a lift in their first season in the top flight for over 60 years.

Captain David Pennock is included but John Doyle Snr cannot play and 15-year old Henry Blackett drops back into the seconds, where he will be afforded greater opportunities.

Darlington include Neil Pratt for the unavailable David Coates in their game with Bishop Auckland, and Blackhall are hopeful that professional Mahmood Fazal will have recovered from a pulled hamstring to take his place in the side at Middlesbrough.

James Beaumont is involved with the Nottingham Forest squad for their game withWigan so Mattie Brown steps up from the seconds in the Boro line-up.

Ian Palmer takes over from Ian Jackson for Hartlepool, who retain 14-year-old Paul Johnson for their tough assignment at Saltburn. The Seasides are stronger with the inclusion of Tony Bell and Richard Storr.

Shanoka Dissanayake arrived this week and replaces the unavailable Andy Mollitt for Richmondshire at Marske, who name Steve Larkin, Robin Walker and Gary Lynch.

In the Federation Special Durham Senior League, Horden travel to unbeaten Boldon and are still minus Paul Patterson. For Boldon, Jonathan Bishop retains his place and Philip Shakespeare is still an absentee.

Whitburn have slow bowler Paul Cook back to add variety to their attack against Seaham Harbour. The return of Neil Swainston and Stephen Sennett gives a more solid look to Harbour's side.

Marsden's new professional Chris Ismail is expected to make his debut at South Shields, for whom Neil Dixon's return means Bobby Scorer stepping down.

Tommy Nixon is not available for Hetton Lyons against Felling but Gary Dawson plays.

Burnmoor will have a weakened side against Eppleton with the unavailability of Graham Stoker, Alec Linsley, Gary Brown and David Jane.

Buoyed by their open-day victory in the Foster's ECB North-East Regional League, Stockton rely on an unchanged side for their attractive game against Durham Academy at the Riverside.

Norton name the same team at Chester-le-Street, who have Ian Jones to spearhead their attack. Philadelphia cannot call upon Simon Hollingsworth, who impressed on his debut, for the visit of Blaydon to Bunker Hill, but wicketkeeper Phil Empson makes his seasonal debut.

Reon King returns for champions South North following his early-season appearances for Durham County. Opponents Gateshead Fell cannot include Ian Patterson, who is with the Durham side in Derbyshire, so Lloyd Hunter is drafted in.

Willington expect to name a replacement for Australian Kym Lawrence, who was refused entry by immigration control last week. The Readers Durham County League side have lined up a South African who should arrive in the next few days.

Today, Willington host Brandon, with Andy Allen taking over behind the wicket from skipper Steve Donnelly. Brandon hand a debut to Aussie Jim Allenby, who has had two seasons with Philadelphia.

A further boost is the return of Steve Dunsford, who will lead the side which also includes promising 15-year old left-arm spinner Jamie Robinson and Stephen Parnaby.