DURHAM could hand Marc Symington his Benson & Hedges Cup debut against Lancashire at the Riverside today.

The bad news for the 22-year-old all-rounder is that he is likely to be asked to bowl into the wind - a job which medium pacers Darren Maddy and Vince Wells did effectively for Leicestershire in their win against Durham on Monday.

Skipper Jon Lewis said: "It looks like being windy again and it's something we have to take into consideration.

"It was pretty strong at Leicester and Ian Hunter had to bowl into it, which was unfortunate for him as his figures didn't do him justice.

"We are not playing as well as we would like, but we are getting there and we hope to get the win we need."

Although it is five years since Symington made his one-day league debut, he has been troubled by injury and did not play any first team cricket last season.

Another candidate for bowling into the wind, James Brinkley, who was a regular in the one-day side last season, has joined the casualty list with a calf strain.

The only other possible change from Monday's side would be the inclusion of Michael Gough, whose off-spin was often effective in one-day games last season.

Durham beat Lancashire by 54 runs in the opening B & H match at Liverpool last season, when Neil Killeen took the first four wickets in a superb spell of four for 18.

None of the top five in the order that day will be playing today as Michael Atherton has retired, John Crawley has joined Hampshire, Joe Scuderi has been released, Andrew Flintoff is resting under the terms of his England contract, and Neil Fairbrother is injured.

As Flintoff returns to action on Sunday against Leicestershire, who beat Durham in the opening match, this is a good time for Durham to cash in on his absence.

He and Fairbrother shared a stand of 136, with Flintoff finishing on 72 not out, when Lancashire took their revenge last season with a seven-wicket win in the quarter-final of the C & G Trophy at Blackpool.

The big threat this time comes from Australian Stuart Law, who has made a lot of runs against Durham for Essex.

Coach Martyn Moxon should have a few ideas about how to bowl at David Byas, whose former Yorkshire colleagues are due at the Riverside tomorrow.

Lancashire will give a late fitness test to Peter Martin, who has had a slight side strain, but whatever the outcome they are likely to include former Durham bowler John Wood - yet to feature in their championship side this season.

Durham (from): J J B Lewis (capt), N Peng, A Pratt, M L Love, P D Collingwood, M A Gough, G J Pratt, I D Hunter, G D Bridge, M J Symington, A M Davies, N Killeen, S J Harmison.

Lancashire (from): W K Hegg (capt), M J Chilton, A J Swann, G Chapple, D Byas, S G Law, G D Llloyd, T W Roberts, C P Schofield, M P Smethurst, K W Hogg, J Wood, P J Martin