David Harker diplomatically did not want to talk about Headingley, yet it was impossible not to compare and contrast the Riverside with the beleaguered Leeds venue.

"Headingley was unfortunate but we don't pay too much attention to the other grounds," said the Durham chief executive.

"From our point of view, we've just got to do the best job we can."

But Durham officials could have been excused a sly smile of contentment on Thursday night after putting Headingley, a Test ground since 1899, to shame.

The new kids on the cricket block, with the help of the English Cricket Board, are putting a sizeable dent in any lingering hopes harboured by the Establishment to keep the status quo.

The weather aside, Thursday could scarcely have gone any better for Durham. Two days after Yorkshire's cricketing public snubbed the match between England and Sri Lanka, the North-East embraced the travelling one-day circus.

A crowd approaching 16,000, about 1,000 below capacity, on a day more suited to scarves than shirt-sleeves underlined the voracious hunger for cricket in the region.

True, only the hardy would have ventured out on Tuesday at Leeds, where there was a crowd of just 9,000, but every extra person who went through the Chester-le-Street turnstiles counted as a blow for Durham against Headingley.

Harker said: "We believe the North-East public has shown it has an appetite for international cricket and hopefully we'll be given more games in the near future.

"It's likely there will be more one-day games in the international calendar next year and we hope to get more than one match in 2003.

"We feel we've answered all the questions that have been asked of us. Every challenge the ECB have set us, we believe we've risen to.

"We've made a bold claim that we believe we can stage international cricket at this ground. The ECB have shown faith in us and encouraged us, and I think we've delivered.

"We deserve this profile. We've worked hard developing a new stadium - the only purpose-built cricket stadium in England in the 20th century.

"That was a major risk but that risk is now beginning to reap the rewards, and every time we stage an event, we learn something else about how we might do it better."

Headingley is a featureless concrete bowl, surrounded by row upon row of terraced houses that stretch out into north Leeds as far as the eye can see.

Access to the ground, in one of the city's busiest suburbs, is poor, and for all its history and heritage its recent crowd incidents and low attendances point to deep-rooted problems.

The Riverside, on the other hand, is one of the most picturesque yet modern stadia in the country. Overlooked by Lumley Castle, the A1 takes spectators to and from Chester-le-Street efficiently and the facilities are among the best in English cricket.

Durham can be proud of their achievements, but this is no time for back-slapping. There is still work to be done.

Harker said: "We always keep setting ourselves targets, and the Test between England and Zimbabwe will be a stepping stone.

"The vision at the moment is to have an Ashes Test here with Durham players in the England side. I'm sure that if we achieve that, we'll set ourselves a new target.

"We didn't get involved in county cricket simply to make up the numbers. It's going to take time for us to get it right on the playing side as the youngsters develop and come through.

"But we're seeing signs that that's coming to fruition, and the coach and the captain are very enthusiastic about the talent that's coming through the system.

"There are three development projects in the pipeline at the moment which we would hope to get under way in the autumn and the winter, with a view to all three being completed for the Test next year.

"There's an indoor school, which is an essential part of our programme, we would like to develop a health and fitness centre at the ground, and that in turn would enable us to install a further 3,000 permanent seats.

"The vision is to have 10,000 permanent seats plus the indoor school for the Test.

"The ECB like to see us continue to make progress.

"We need to keep developing the venue, not just for cricket but other events as well. We need to put ourselves in the heart of the social and cultural life in the North-East.

Gough claims he'll be ready for Test series

England fast bowler Darren Gough has hit back at the critics who said his recall to the national side had come too soon - although he admits he is still some way from full fitness.

The Yorkshireman played in England's last two matches, against India at Durham on Thursday and against Sri Lanka on his home ground of Headingley on Tuesday, having battled back from a knee injury which threatened his participation in the NatWest Series.

Just prior to the start of the triangular tournament Gough was angry that many people had written him off after he pulled out of a second team game - sparking fears of a recurrence of an old injury.

''I got the feeling some people were willing me to fail in my comeback game at Headingley on Tuesday, just so they could continue to claim it was stupid to bring me back into such a big game after a long time out,'' said Gough.

''It's fairly sad I got those vibes because I was never in any doubt that I was up to the task - and my performances over the past two matches have proved it.

''I felt a bit nervous when I was running in for that first over but, once I got into my rhythm, it wasn't a problem.'' However, Gough admitted that he was not yet fully fit and it would be the Test series against India later this summer before he was firing on all cylinders.

''I still have to be careful and the chances are I will need to miss the last qualifying game (in the NatWest Series) - particularly if we reach the final - but this was the perfect way back in.

''I am not up to bowling 20 overs in a day at the moment, but hopefully I will be by the time the Test series comes round. ''

l Promising 20-year-old left-hander John Sadler makes his first home appearance for Yorkshire tomorrow in their 50-overs-a-side coloured clothing match against West Indies A at Headingley (11.45).

And also in Yorkshire's line-up is Loughborough University student, David Wigley, 20, who made his county debut in last season's game with Bradford-Leeds Universities at Bradford Park Avenue.

Wigley, a strongly built fast bowler and hard hitting batsman, is a late replacement for Steven Kirby who is still suffering from a back injury but he expects to be fit for the next Wednesday's Championship match against fellow strugglers Somerset at Scarborough.

Sadler had his first experience of Yorkshire first team cricket when he was selected for this year's pre-season tour of Grenada and coach Wayne Clark is closely monitoring his progress.

The captaincy has been handed to Matthew Wood for the first time.