IT was full steam ahead for the Ashington Express yesterday when Stephen Harmison became the first Durham player to be selected for an Ashes tour.

After being left out of the last two Tests against India following a promising debut at Trent Bridge, there was no guarantee that Harmison would be in the party to tour Australia.

But he has been preferred to Alex Tudor and the news gave the Durham camp a huge lift, with coach Martyn Moxon saying: "It's a big feather in the club's cap.

"We are delighted for him. He has made a lot of progress in the last few matches and after a good Test debut this is well deserved and we wish him well.

"It's good for the club and hopefully more will follow with Gordon Muchall going to the ECB Academy, and Nicky Peng, Gary Pratt and Michael Gough all having played for England Under 19s recently.

"The material is there - we just have to learn from this year. We have had a disappointing season, but having the indoor school ready next year will be a massive help and with the other developments going on the future is very bright."

When picked for England last month, 23-year-old Harmison said he would "jump at the chance" of an Ashes tour and had no worries about his old problem of homesickness.

"I was away for 13 weeks at the academy last winter and I'm getting used to it now," he said.

"My wife Hayley is expecting our second child in December, but it's due when the one-day matches are on and I wouldn't expect to be in the one-day squad."

As England handed contracts to only nine players yesterday, and Harmison was not among them, Durham have been told there's no need to wrap him in cotton wool for the rest of the season. He is in an unchanged squad for the championship match against Essex starting at the Riverside today.

"With the pace and bounce of Australian wickets, Stephen is the type of bowler who could be a handful over there," said Moxon.

"He has pitched it up a bit more recently and created more chances for himself. He has had quite a few slip catches dropped, which doesn't help, but if he can maintain his progress he will be a wicket-taking bowler in Australia."

Tudor is being sent for a second stint at the academy in Adelaide, where he will be joined by Muchall, who burst on to the championship scene this season and scored 127 against Middlesex at Lord's.

He made 254 in the first Under 19 Test against India, but as often happens with young players in their first season of county cricket he has struggled towards the end of the season.

Although Moxon said the door is not closed for Nicky Hatch ahead of the final game at Bristol next week, it seems there is no chance of a recall for Simon Brown.

Along with anyone else to be released, Durham's longest servant will know his fate within a week.