DURHAM will call on their memory of last season's shock victory at Bristol in the C & G Trophy fourth round as they go for a repeat against Gloucestershire today.
It will be an even bigger upset this time as Paul Collingwood is still not fit, and with Martin Love also injured and Jimmy Daley lacking match practice Durham are very short of experienced batsmen.
"We can remember last year's victory and it shows what we can do," said coach Martyn Moxon, whose side had the worst possible preparation with a poor display in Sunday's National League game against Worcesteshire.
"I didn't read the riot act because that only comes when there's a lack of effort," he said.
"For whatever reason it was our worst bowling performance of the season, with the exception of Mark Davies and Graeme Bridge.
"Perhaps we should have included Nicky Phillips, but we didn't think it would turn much and if the seamers had bowled as they are capable of doing it wouldn't have mattered."
Phillips is in the squad today and could make his first senior appearance since breaking a finger in the opening championship match against Middlesex in April.
He will not come in at the expense of Bridge, who has hardly looked back since winning the Man of the Match award last season when Durham knocked out the team, who had won the NatWest Trophy in its last two seasons.
Spin also played a big part when Durham also visited Bristol in the Benson & Hedges Cup last year, with Phillips bowling ten overs for 31 runs and Michael Gough taking three for 35.
Gough has been left out today and the chances are that Marc Symington will play as he has impressed with the bat.
"It was not ideal having a top four with an average age of 20 on Sunday, but our options are fairly limited," said Moxon.
"We thought about bringing Jimmy Daley in, but by his own admission he needs a bit more practice before he performs at this level.
"We will have a look at the pitch and decide whether we need to attack in the first 15 overs before we decide who should open the batting."
Despite his knee injury, Collingwood will be named today in the England squad for the one-day internationals and hopes to be fit to play on Monday in an England v Wales match at Cardiff.
The Welsh team will consist of Glamorgan players and will be strengthened by South African all-rounder Jacques Kallis, their overseas player three years ago.
Collingwood's absence is a big blow for Durham, who desperately need a return to form for Nicky Peng if they are to get over their one-day struggles. While Love looks like being out at least until late July, Gloucestershire's Australian all-rounder Ian Harvey returned to action last week after recovering from his broken finger.
Durham (from): J J B Lewis (capt), G J Pratt, N Peng, G J Muchall, D R Law, A Pratt, M Symington, G D Bridge, A M Davies, N Killeen, N C Phillips, N G Hatch.
Gloucestershire (from): M W Alleyne (capt), K J Barnett, C Spearman, M G N Windows, I J Harvey, C G Taylor, J N Snape, R C Russell, M C J Ball, J Lewis, J M M Averis, M A Hardinges.
l Yorkshire have Michael Vaughan and Matthew Hoggard back from the Test match for their Cheltenham and Gloucester Trophy fourth round tie with Northamptonshire at Wantage.
And although Darren Gough is still not fit enough for this crucial game, he may make his first appearance of the season for Yorkshire Phoenix against Durham Dynamos at Riverside on Sunday.
The County Champions are bottom of the Division One table with five defeats and a draw from their first six matches and Clark admitted: "We are in too much trouble to risk going into our next Championship game nursing a bowler who may not get through four days."
Clark said that Yorkshire would not finalise their side until they saw how much grass has been taken off the Northants pitch and they also wanted to check if Matthew Hoggard had fully recovered from his exertions in the Test match before deciding whether to play him.
Yorkshire are once bitten twice shy because Gavin Hamilton was brought back against Sussex at Headingley last week following a loss of confidence but only managed one over before having to be taken off.
Yorkshire's most pressing concern at the moment is to beat Northamptonshire and keep alive their dream of a Lord's visit this season, but they realise they must dramatically improve their form if they are to do so.
Meanwhile, Hamilton has told Yorkshire he is keen to play in the second team as a batsman while he seeks psychological help with his bowling problems.
Yorkshire: White, Wood, Vaughan, McGrath, Katich, Fellows, Blakey, Silverwood, Dawson, Bresnan, Sidebottom, Hoggard, Gray
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