MUCH is being made of Riverside becoming England's first new Test ground for 101 years, but the difference is that Chester-le-Street is expected to become an established venue.

Bramall Lane, Sheffield, staged only one Test against Australia in 1902 and the cricket ground, which overlapped the football pitch, ceased to exist in 1973.

There will be no Test at Riverside next year, but unless an unforeseen disaster strikes either Australia or Bangladesh will be the visitors in 2005.

At the moment the ground seems more likely to stage an early-season Test against Bangladesh, but Durham chairman Bill Midgley is hoping good crowds against Zimbabwe might alter the thinking.

"Obviously, getting Australia here has to be our target," he says. "We need to show we can beat Headingley and Old Trafford for crowds.

"One of us is going to miss out because even with seven Tests a year two will go to Lord's. Not filling the ground is my biggest worry, but things are looking good for the first three days and if the game is well balanced we could get a good walk-up crowd on the Sunday."

Riverside will be the 87th Test ground in the world and more are to be added shortly. For their series against Bangladesh in July, Australia are to introduce Darwin and Cairns.

The West Indies will inaugurate St Lucia in their forthcoming series against Sri Lanka, having brought in St Vincent and Grenada in recent years following Antigua in 1980.

Pushing back the frontiers of cricket and introducing it to new audiences can only widen its appeal, and when Stephen Harmison takes the field today it will be worth remembering that had Durham not achieved first-class status he would probably never have left Ashington.