LEADERS Durham could hand 6ft 8in Darlington paceman Nicky Hatch his first team debut in tomorrow's Norwich Union League division two match against Essex at Ilford.

Hatch, who spent the winter playing in Australia, recently recovered from an Achilles injury and has been impressing in the second team.

A 22-year-old Hull University graduate, he is in his second season as a full member of Durham's staff and skipper Jon Lewis said: "I'm keen to give him a go.

"We'll have to see how Steve Harmison is. He has had a lot of bowling recently and may need a rest."

With 37 runs off seven overs, Harmison was much the most costly of Durham's bowlers during the win at Derby last Sunday which kept them top of the division.

They hope to repeat last season's win at Ilford against an Essex side who are next to the bottom.

Durham's match at Gloucester yesterday continued to follow the pattern of the last three games and, weather permitting, they will be chasing a target in excess of 300 today for the fourth successive Saturday.

After rain wiped out the first 45 minutes yesterday there were three more interruptions to Durham's innings before they were all out for a disappointing 287, 130 behind.

Gloucestershire then reached 159 for four in their second innings, another shower at 5.40 interrupting their unspectacular progress towards a declaration.

Resuming on 211 for four, Durham lost their six remaining wickets in 30 overs, all bowled by James Averis and Martyn Ball.

Averis impressed through his variations, mixing up his pace in the manner that Gloucestershire's bowlers employ so successfully in one-day cricket.

There were shades of Courtney Walsh removing Graham Thorpe on the Surrey man's Test comeback last year as Danny Law started to duck when he thought a much slower ball was a beamer. In fact, it struck him at shin height and the slips strangled their lbw appeal only when they realised it was a no-ball.

Averis often dug in his quicker balls at the tail-enders, notably Nicky Phillips, who was never comfortable and tamely edged to Jack Russell in the over before lunch, when Durham were 264 for eight, still needing four to avoid the follow-on.

Ian Hunter confidently took them past that target. He was the only batsman to take on Ball, advancing to drive him for four and six before being caught at long-off for 24.

Michael Gough was much less certain against Ball, relying on his pad as much as his bat to counter Ball's probing line just outside off stump.

Gough added only six to his overnight 73 before edging Ball to Russell, who also caught last man Harmison to finish with five catches.

Andrew Pratt also fell to an edge off Averis, being taken at slip, while Law's studious 24 suffered a careless end when he chipped a well-flighted delivery from Ball to the man specially positioned between mid-wicket and mid-on.

It was the seventh time in the championship that Law has been out between 20 and his top score of 39.

Harmison again opened up with a fast and hostile attack on Kim Barnett, who was dropped first ball at second slip, where Phillips was continuing to deputise for Paul Collingwood.

Barnett was also lucky to top edge an attempted hook over the wicketkeeper for four, but for the second time in the match he fell to the ball from Brown which is slanted across him, this time trimming the off stump.

When Hunter replaced Harmison, Dominic Hewson top edged a pull just short of Law at third man then hit two fours before the angry bowler banged one in and found the shoulder of the bat for Gough to take a simple catch at backward point.

Durham needed Phillips to bowl with the same control as Ball, but Chris Taylor picked him up on to the marquee roof over mid-wicket and the off-spinner also allowed himself to be cut too often.

There was a bonus for Durham when Taylor, going for another pick-up over mid-wicket, got a leading edge off Law and gave a simple catch to Brown at mid-on.

But first innings century-maker Mark Alleyne again settled in comfortably, while Matt Windows grew in stature after an uncertain start.

When the day ended with half an hour of bright sunshine Windows reached 50 with a scampered single to mid-on, which produced four overthrows from Law's shy at the stumps.

Alleyne fell for 30 in the penultimate over, caught at deep mid-wicket by Nicky Peng off Phillips.

The captain's exit might delay his declaration today, and with the pitch still good he is unlikely to set Durham any less than 340.