DURHAM suffered a double setback in their friendly at Old Trafford yesterday when Paul Collingwood dislocated a shoulder and Mark Davies suffered a recurrence of his collapsed lung.

Both are already ruled out of the opening County Championship match against relegated Somerset at Taunton, starting next Wednesday.

Davies, the brother of Middlesbrough FC's youth team captain Andrew Davies, was taken to hospital but was later released and travelled home with the rest of the team last night.

He is seeing a specialist today, while Collingwood had his shoulder put back in but was awaiting a second X-ray in a Manchester hospital last night.

Because he has suffered the problem in the past, Davies knew immediately what was wrong when he pulled up in the nets.

But it came as a blow as he enjoyed a trouble-free season last year following a winter operation to rectify the problem.

He played in 13 of Durham's championship matches and topped the bowling averages with 33 wickets at 27.57.

As Durham had travelled with only 11 players yesterday, they had to borrow a young bowler from Lancashire, Sajid Mahmood.

Collingwood, who missed a large chunk of last season with a neck problem suffered his injury when diving in the field.

Coach Martyn Moxon said: "They are two key players and to be without them at the start of the season is a big blow.

"But we can't afford to think 'here we go again'. We have to roll our sleeves up and get on with it."

In the 50-over game, under C&G rules, Durham batted first and posted 222 for the loss of eight wickets.

Top scorer was Danny Law, who finished 49 not out from 52 balls, with seven fours. Gary Pratt also weighed with 42 from 50 balls, including five fours and two sixes.

Lancashire's Chris Schofield was the pick of their attack with four for 39 from ten overs.

In reply the home side lost two quick wickets to Neil Killeen before Mal Loye and England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff turned the game in Lancashire's favour, as they beat Durham's score with 14 balls remaining .

Loye finished with 81 off 98 balls - nine fours and one six - but Flintoff was the star with a superb 84 off just 72 balls, including eight sweetly-struck fours and five resounding sixes.

Killeen finished with two for 15 off nine overs, and England's Steve Harmison was also impressive with one for 28 - claiming the scalp of Flintoff - from ten overs.

Collingwood's misfortune ironically came on the day England captain Nasser Hussain urged him and Harmison to "make 2003 the best year of your cricketing lives".

Harmison and Collingwood are desperate to become automatic international selections this summer, having furthered their reputations during the Ashes tour and World Cup.

For paceman Harmison, there is the chance to emerge as England's premier fast bowler as Simon Jones is sidelined with a serious knee injury.

And after impressing as a one-day batsman and fielder in the last two years, Collingwood is eyeing a Test call-up, particularly ahead of Zimbabwe's visit to the Riverside in June.

Hussain said: "This summer will be a great opportunity for guys like Stephen Harmison and Paul Collingwood to really make their mark as England players and stamp their authority on the international scene."

* Yorkshire have made a surprise move on the eve of the new season by appointing out-of-touch batsman Matthew Wood as first-team vice-captain, writes David Warner.

Director of cricket, Geoff Cope, said that Wood had 100 per cent backing for the job from all of the senior players, including Darren Gough.

New captain Anthony McGrath had pressed for Wood to be made vice-captain and Cope said he had been very happy to endorse the appointment.

But Cope later stressed that being given the vice-captaincy did not guarantee Wood a first-team place.

"Nobody in the squad can be absolutely certain of his place but Matthew is thrilled to bits at getting the job and the extra responsibility might help to clear his mind a little and allow him to concentrate more on his batting."

Huddersfield-born Wood, 26, was capped towards the end of Yorkshire's Championship-winning season in 2001 when he topped 1,000 runs in the competition for the first time but his form totally deserted him last summer, when he was axed after making only 201 runs in 17 innings at an average of 11.82.

In the autumn, Wood sought advice from coach Kevin Sharp and then asked to join the England Academy squad in Adelaide at his own expense - a request which was immediately granted.