PACEMAN Dewald Pretorius returns to the Durham team for the match against Derbyshire starting at Riverside today, but will be available for only two more championship matches before teaming up with the South Africa squad.

He has been named in both the one-day party and the Test squad, with the triangular one-day series against England and Zimbabwe starting on June 26 followed by four Tests from July 24-August 25.

Durham have three championship games in September but skipper Jon Lewis said: "It's unlikely we would gamble on bringing him back then in case he has had a tough Test series.

"We knew this might happen so we are semi-prepared and have been looking at who we can bring in to replace him.

"The options are limited, but now the announcement has been made we will sort it out as quickly as possible.

"We have asked Javagal Srinath if he is interested in staying, but he insists he needs a rest and we appreciate that."

One possibility is that Durham could go for Lance Klusener, who has been left out of the South African squad. But with Stephen Harmison unlikely to feature much more this season because of England duties they are more likely to want an out-and-out paceman.

Another crowd-puller would be exiled Zimbabwean Henry Olonga, who is already in the country. But he might find television work more lucrative.

Pretorius missed the start of the season because he was with the South Africa A squad in Australia, then took one for 94 on his championship debut against Gloucestershire at Riverside.

He took eight wickets at a cost of only 8.1 each in three one-day games before suffering a thigh strain which kept him out against Worcestershire at Stockton last week.

After five days' action against Derbyshire, he can play in the C & G fourth round match at home to Lancashire next Wednesday then the four-day matches away to Yorkshire and Hampshire.

After that Durham are into a run of one-day matches, including the Twenty20 Cup, and it is unlikely that South Africa would want Pretorius to risk injury in those.

Martin Love returns to the Durham side today for the first time since breaking a finger against Worcestershire just under a year ago.

He had a net at Riverside yesterday and is keen to get cracking after having a quiet time with the Australian Test squad in the West Indies.

Lewis was watching the second team in action yesterday afternoon trying to decide which bowler to bring in to share the new ball with Pretorius.

Neil Killeen is the most likely, but Mark Davies and Ian Hunter are also in the frame and Lewis added that Ian Pattison is knocking on the door for a place in the squad.

That would obviously be a threat to Danny Law, who failed to respond to his extra responsibility with the ball last week.

With Gordon Muchall's place looking secure, either Michael Gough or Nicky Peng will have to make way for Love.

Derbyshire include Pakistan Test all-rounder Shahid Afridi, who hit 11 sixes in a 37-ball hundred on his one-day international debut against Sri Lanka. He also bowls leg spin.

Durham (from): J J B Lewis, M A Gough, M L Love, G J Muchall, G J Pratt, V J Wells, N Peng, D R Law, A Pratt, N Killeen, A M Davies, N C Phillips, D Pretorius

Derbyshire: D G Cork (capt), M J Di Venuto, A I Gait, C W Bassano, S A Selwood, D R Hewson, L D Sutton, S M Afridi, G Welch, M Ali, K J Dean, T Lungley