VINCE WELLS has vowed to instill a winning mentality into Durham as the county look to shed the unwanted tag of the worst team in the County Championship.

Wells, signed over the winter from Leicestershire, will be an integral member of a Durham side that begins its four-day campaign at Somerset today.

The North-East club were last season's Division Two whipping boys, losing 11 of their 16 games to finish bottom of the table.

But 37-year-old Wells is adamant his experience will help Durham's youngsters emerge as the surprise packet of 2003.

He said: "I have always played my cricket surrounded by a culture of success and I have set standards geared towards winning something.

"Unless I go into the season with that attitude, then there wouldn't have been much point signing for Durham.

"I see the next two years as a challenge and I didn't come to Durham to wind down.

"When Martyn Moxon and Geoff Cook came to see me, they presented a vision for the future which really appealed to me.

"They told me about what they hoped to achieve in terms of developing a talented group of young players and I couldn't wait to get on board.

"There are good young players in the first and second XIs, and Geoff has a number of exciting prospects in the Academy. I suppose I've been signed to help the younger guys find a bit of consistency, and that's all they need.

"With two overseas players, myself and Jonathan Lewis, there's enough experience here to cut the younger guys some slack, and I hope we've found the right mix.

"I'd tell the young guys that when it's their day, the sun is shining and there are a few sessions ahead, they shouldn't be satisfied with a 50 or a couple of wickets.

"They should do the very best they possibly can and capitalise while they can. I'd like to think that's something we could put into practice.

"I'm hoping that we can go on and win a trophy within the next two years, but I know it will be difficult. It would be great if Durham could deliver a degree of success at the same time that the county hosts its first Test match."

Read more about Durham County Cricket Club here.