PAUL Collingwood will not play for Durham again this season and is unlikely to be fit to join the England squad at the ICC Champions Trophy in Sri Lanka, starting on September 12.

England are monitoring his neck problem and seem likely to decide he should concentrate on getting fit for the one-day matches in the middle of this winter's Ashes series.

Collingwood has played only five championship matches for Durham this season, while they have had an overseas player in six out of the 13 played to date.

Brad Hodge will play in the final three, starting at Nottingham on Friday, and will warm up with two one-day appearances at home to Somerset today and under the Trent Bridge floodlights on Wednesday.

The Victoria batsman played in the home championship match against Nottinghamshire, making 21 and 44, before breaking his left thumb in the nets five days after his arrival.

"We have tried to develop our young players in a team without Collingwood or an overseas man, but it is not doing their confidence any good," said coach Martyn Moxon.

"Youngsters' development is slowed by playing in a losing team, so we are hoping they will gain more benefit from having Brad to help them.

"The plan is to go out on a bit of a high and hopefully Brad's inclusion will give everybody a bit of confidence."

England want Stephen Harmsion to have two good days' practice at the Oval today and tomorrow ahead of the fourth Test on Thursday, so he is not available today.

Durham have named a squad of 13 for their last home National League match of the season, which starts at noon against the beaten C & G Trophy finalists.

Both teams have already been relegated from division one, but Durham are anxious not to allow their recent slump to continue to the end of the season.

Some are playing for their futures, and all-rounder Ian Pattison has been added to the squad. If he doesn't play today he is likely to get a chance at some stage as Durham must decide at the end of the season whether to extend his development contract into something more permanent.

"Ideally we would like to give Pattison a couple of games but we have to get the blend right with the bowlers," said Moxon.

"Nicky Hatch and Simon Brown are also in our minds as we approach the last few games."

Durham (from): M A Gough, N Peng, B Hodge, G J Muchall, G J Pratt, A Pratt, M J Symington, I D Hunter, N C Phillips (capt), A M Davies, N Killeen, I D Pattison, A M Thorpe.

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