THERE are strong parallels between Durham County Cricket Club and Newcastle Falcons in the way they are concentrating on developing top-class facilities for producing home-grown talent.

This North-East production line philosophy is perfectly laudable and both clubs will find out within the next few years whether there is sufficient talent within the region to challenge for honours.

But while Durham can afford to finish well adrift in the County Championship this season without fear of relegation, that is not the case for the Falcons.

Leeds escaped relegation last season because Rotherham did not meet the criteria for promotion. But that won't happen again, and with Leeds winning their first two games it would be difficult to nominate this season's wooden spoonists.

Harlequins would be my favourites, although they have a knack of redoubling their efforts when they find themselves in the clarts.

Sunday's match at home to Gloucester will be a crucial pointer to Rob Andrew about the character of his developing side, who were thrashed at Gloucester's Kingsholm fortress in the play-offs last May.

If the Falcons start losing home games they will swiftly become relegation candidates, which considering the £10m investment in their facilities currently in progress, doesn't bear thinking about.

The Falcons won the title five years ago with a team of seasoned imports, whereas Durham began with something similar and finished bottom.

While both are investing heavily in wonderful facilities, there is unlikely to be money for signings of the stature of Ian Botham or Inga Tuigamala.

Next season will be the time for Durham's youngsters to sink or swim; the Falcons have to do it now.

PERHAPS while there is still plenty of sporting talent to nurture in the North-East we should strengthen the weaker ones by getting them to rebuild Hadrian's Wall.

The influx of any influence from over the border is obviously to be avoided, unless it comes from caber tossers or female curlers.

Never has the lament for Scottish sport been so strong as after 14 minutes at Toftir, when the score read Faroe Islands 2 Scotland 0.

How can a country which produced Denis Law, Jim Baxter and Kenny Dalglish be reduced to playing Kevin Kyle at centre forward when he has started just one Premiership game for a Sunderland team who have scored two goals in five games this season?

Sunderland had little idea how to play without either Kevin Phillips or Niall Quinn against Middlesbrough, and while Tore Andre Flo continued his habit of scoring on his debut in the previous match, the fact that he was not a huge success in Scotland does not augur well.

THE minute's silence we observed on Wednesday was a poignant reminder of why the Ryder Cup was postponed last year.

But that shouldn't stop us looking forward to the event two weeks hence, and for Lee Westwood to say he can't wait for it to be over so people will stop talking about it is a sad reflection of his lack of confidence.

Phillip Price is also struggling for form, while Colin Montgomerie and Padraig Harrington are not fully fit, so there is every indication that the postponement will work in the Americans' favour.

What will be interesting is to see whether the memory of September 11 dilutes their triumphalism. If it does and the match is played in the right spirit it should be a marvellous occasion.

UNLESS Darren Gough is fit England haven't a hope of winning the Ashes, so they are right to name him in the squad. The other questionable decisions - Thorpe in, Tudor out - are a reflection of Nasser Hussain's personal preferences.

He thinks some of Tudor's injuries are in his head, but isn't that exactly where Thorpe's problems also lie? Tudor has a good record against the Aussies, but seems to be suffering from the captain's distrust, just as Andrew Caddick suffered under Alex Stewart's captaincy.

Despite Tudor taking five for 44 against the Aussies at Trent Bridge last year, Jimmy Ormond was preferred for the winter tours, only to be found wanting.

Time is not on Gough's side as the first Test starts on November 7 and he will have to prove his fitness in the two of the three warm-up games. Caddick also needs plenty of bowling to maintain his rhythm, and if they and Matthew Hoggard stay fit there will be very little cricket for Stephen Harmison and Simon Jones as there is only one other three-day game once the Tests start.

It is sad that injury has kept Craig White out of the squad, but even if he isn't fit to bowl at his fastest England surely need him on stand-by in case Andrew Flintoff breaks down.

Published: 13/09/2002