FRUSTRATED Durham coach Martyn Moxon has been refused permission by the England and Wales Cricket Board to play 12-a-side in the three-day match against Durham University starting at Riverside today.

After seeing three days of friendly matches wiped out this week he wanted to play an extra seamer against the students, but as it is a first-class game normal rules have to apply.

"Given the amount of outdoor practice we have missed I wanted all our seamers to have a go, but one has to miss out," he said.

"The university were happy to play 12-a-side, but the ECB said no so we have gone for Graham Onions and left out Mark Davies.

"We know what we are going to get from Mark and wanted to have a look at Graham in a match situation. He has good pace and did very well for the second team last year."

It will now be difficult for Davies to force his way in for the opening championship match against Hampshire at the Rose Bowl next Friday, with West Indian Reon King expected to play.

The South Northumberland professional has been playing in South Africa but is currently at home in Guyana and is expected to arrive on Monday. "I'm not sure when he last played but he has assured us that after a couple of nets he'll be ready," said Moxon.

"I have pulled our players out of a Professional Cricketers' Association meeting at Birmingham on Tuesday so we can fit in some extra practice.

"We should have had three days' cricket by now, which would have given us a bit of a steer towards selection. It's a tough call between the wicketkeepers, but Phil Mustard has been playing in Tasmania so we decided to give Andrew Pratt the chance to play some cricket this weekend.

"He has worked hard over the winter, as he always does, and we have stressed that he has to keep a positive attitude about his batting.

"Hopefully he now has it clear in his own mind how he wants to go about his batting. They are both capable of scoring 700 first-class runs a season and that's what we need."

English-qualified West Indian Gareth Breese was not considered for selection as he has had two nets since his arrival and is still experiencing pain from his recently-broken arm.

As both Breese and Marcus North bowl off-spin, the Jamaican's absence could give more bowling opportunities to North.

The match also gives Gavin Hamilton an important chance to reassure himself that he can bowl as straight out in the middle as he has apparently been doing in the nets. Although North bats in the middle order for Western Australia, he will open with skipper Jon Lewis for Durham as they would prefer to allow Gary Pratt to continue his development at No 4.

The square was still too wet for the players to practise in the middle on Thursday, but after two reasonably fine days no problems are expected today.

Read more about Durham County Cricket Club here.