DURHAM are again likely to be without Stephen Harmison as they attempt to break their Hampshire hoodoo in the Cheltenham and Gloucester Trophy third round at the Riverside tomorrow.

The paceman is still struggling with a calf injury, and with Neil Killeen's ankle only just out of plaster and James Brinkley in Canada with Scotland bowling resources are stretched. The likely new-ball pairing is Simon Brown and Nicky Hatch, with Danny Law, Paul Collingwood, Nicky Phillips and Michael Gough in support.

Durham also have the option of recalling Ian Hunter, but the intention is that he should stay with the second team for their four AON Trophy matches this week. After yesterday's opener against Lancashire at Hartlepool they meet the same opponents at Old Trafford today then visit Yorkshire and Derbyshire on Thursday and Friday.

Despite being tipped by former England coach David Lloyd as a candidate for the 2003 World Cup, Hunter had a poor game at Southampton last week and was given only two overs in Sunday's defeat. Hampshire have now won 11 of their last 15 games in all competitions against Durham, with two draws and two washouts.

Durham last beat them in a championship match at Stockton in 1995, winning by 26 runs thanks to a good all-round performance by Manoj Prabhakar on his debut.

Brown played in only three one-day games for Durham last season and was not included in the NatWest fourth round defeat by Hampshire.

Like his successor as captain, Jon Lewis, Nick Speak went into that match with a string of lost tosses behind him. When Robin Smith called incorrectly, Speak chose to bat on a damp pitch - he later said it was a team decision - and Durham were all out for 91, losing by five wickets.

After recent setbacks, Durham plan a team meeting after nets today to stress the importance of winning this game in order to maintain confidence.

They are then at home to Warwickshire in the championship, starting on Friday, and will then face only one day's cricket in 13 days unless they win tomorrow and book a fourth round trip to Bristol on July 11.

l Former Durham batsman Simon Katich plundered a hefty unbeaten century in hoisting Australia from the outhouse to the penthouse against the MCC in the picturesque surrounds of Arundel yesterday.

The 25-year-old Western Australian was one of four players making his bow for the tourists this summer ahead of next Thursday's first Ashes encounter at Edgbaston.

He came to the wicket at 64 for four and set about repairing the early damage done by another Aussie fast bowler Joe Dawes.

Having struck three hundreds in breaking the 1,000-run barrier for Durham last season and one against each of the other five states this winter, Katich registered his first for his country and 15th of his career with a masterful unbeaten 168 in the Australians' 390 all out.

A square cut to the boundary his 18th of the innings in Dawes' first over of a second spell brought up his three figures against an MCC XI, including seven internationals.

The top order were earlier sabotaged by the burly Dawes, leading wicket-taker in the recent Australian season with 49 victims as Queensland claimed the Pura Milk Cup, who ripped out the first four during a fiery opening spell.

Dawes, 30, showed the strength in depth Down Under by snaring Michael Slater, Justin Langer, Matthew Hayden and Damien Martyn. But with a sizeable first-innings total to defend, the Aussies tore into the MCC top order as the home side slumped to 82 for six in reply.

Damien Fleming trapped Asif Mujtaba and Aminul Islam leg before, Warne took a stinging catch high above his head at slip off Jason Gillespie to dismiss David Ward and pouched another off Miller after Adams had fatally padded up.

Azhar Mahmood (30) manoeuvred the MCC away from 35 for five, but fell in the penultimate over of the day, adjudged lbw to Warne to leave Mark Richardson, 31 not out, to resume with the tail this morning.