DURHAM will have Stephen Harmison back in their team to face Glamorgan at the Riverside today as they begin a hectic final 5 weeks of the season.
Following his encouraging Test debut last week, the England selectors have requested that Harmison shouldn't be over-bowled, indicating that he will again be in the squad for the third Test at Headingley next week.
Andrew Caddick is expected to return to share the new ball with Matthew Hoggard, but with Glamorgan's Simon Jones still struggling with his side strain there should still be room for Harmison.
He will therefore miss Durham's trip to Colchester next Wednesday, and as they start again at home to Northants the following Tuesday it would probably be asking too much of Harmison to come into that match straight from a five-day Test.
The fourth and final Test at The Oval clashes with Durham's visit to Trent Bridge for one-day and four-day games, so they might not see Harmison again until the last two matches at home to Essex on September 11 and at Bristol the following week.
Ian Hunter would be the most likely to make way for Harmison today, but he overcame a poor start to finish off with two maidens in his nine-over spell in the floodlit match against Glamorgan on Wednesday.
There is no chance of Paul Collingwood playing, despite responding well to the treatment for the trapped nerve in his neck.
The medication will continue in the hope that he does not need surgery, but as that decision has been postponed for a week, it seems unlikely he will play at Colchester.
Former England Under 19 all-rounder Ian Pattison remains with the squad, and it could be that Durham will decide this is the time to find out whether he has a first-class future.
Having played only two championship games in six weeks, they now have a further six to fit in and would be fully justified in questioning the logic of the fixture list.
It does, of course, give them plenty of opportunity to climb out of bottom spot in division two, but in a season blighted by injury their greater priority is to look to the future.
They need Michael Gough to prove he is now a fully-fledged first-class cricketer and a return to form for Nicky Peng would be welcome. Both have captained England Under 19s and might be candidates to captain Durham if Collingwood is to miss a chunk of every season on England duty.
Jon Lewis is keen to continue next year, but knows he can't take his place for granted as he is averaging only 19.26 in the championship this season
The talented Danny Law also presents something of a dilemma. The more he was used the batter he bowled last season and finished as leading wicket-taker with 40 in the championship.
This time he has four from four games, and after starting the season with a back injury his lack of bowling has meant he has never got into any kind of rhythm.
Durham (from): J J B Lewis (capt), G J Pratt, M A Gough, N Peng, A M Thorpe, D R Law, A Pratt, N C Phillips, N Killeen, A M Davies, S J Harmison, I D Hunter, I Pattison.
Read more about Durham here.
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