MARTIN Love is in no doubt that he has a hard act to follow when he begins his Durham career against Gloucestershire at the Riverside today.

The 27-year-old Queensland batsman takes over from fellow Australian Simon Katich, who is in the Ashes party to tour England this summer.

"It doesn't surprise me that Simon is in the squad," said Love. "He has just had a great season back home and is being targeted as a possible captain of Australia.

"I had a chat with him when we played Western Australia last month and he was very complimentary about Durham and said the local people were very friendly. So far I definitely go along with that - everyone has been very good to me."

Love also had an outstanding season in Australia, helping Queensland win the Pura Cup, in which he scored 834 runs at an average of 75.81 to win the state's Player of the Year award.

"If I can replicate that form over here, I will be more than happy," he said. "It might take a while to adapt, but the best thing I can do is just concentrate on spending time in the middle. I won't be too bothered about scoring quickly early on.

"I have also talked a lot to our Queensland captain Stuart Law about English conditions. He has done really well for Essex, so hopefully some of that will rub off."

Love, 6ft 3in, made his first-class debut in the 1993 final of the Sheffield Shield, which became the Pura Cup two years ago. He toured England with Young Australia two years later, making 181 against Somerset at Taunton.

Born in Mundubbera, five hours north west of Brisbane, he began playing cricket at an early age.

"My two elder brothers used to bounce me in the backyard," he said. "Dad didn't play, but he set up junior cricket in our town when he saw my brothers were keen.

"I was asked to go to the Australian Academy but I decided university was more important. I have a physiotherapy degree and I was expecting to start working for five or six months as a physio around now until I got the call from Durham.

"Geoff Cook rang me in February to ask if I was interested and I said 'for sure.' About ten days later he rang back to confirm it.

"I've never really thought too much about playing county cricket, although I was approached two years ago by Sussex, when they ended up taking Michael di Venuto instead.

"I know it can be a hectic season in England, but I just plan to take each day as it comes and not look too far ahead. I just try to stay at the crease as long as possible when I get out there, knowing the runs will come."

Love is likely to bat at No 3 for Durham, although he has experience of opening in both four-day and one-day cricket.

He will initially wear a plastic splint on his left thumb, which he fractured six weeks ago. But the only way he thinks it might impede him is to prevent him taking up his preferred position in the slips for the first couple of weeks.

* Gloucestershire have been one-day kings for the last two years, with a clean sweep of National League, NatWest Trophy and Benson & Hedges Cup last year. But they haven't pulled up any trees in the four-day game.

They are still coached by New Zealander John Bracewell, a former Bishop Auckland professional, who had prematurely written off left-arm seamer Mike Smith for the first few weeks with a groin injury

Always a dangerous early-season bowler, Smith played in a friendly against Sussex this week and is included in the squad to face Durham.

The one notable absentee is former England wicketkeeper Jack Russell, who is out for a month with a slipped disc.

Gloucestershire (from): M W Alleyne (capt), T C Hancock, R J Cunliffe, M G N Windows, K J Barnett, I J Harvey, C G Taylor, J N Snape, M M Averis, A M Smith, J Lewis, M J Cawdron.

* SIMON Brown has been left out of the Durham team because of a side strain and there is also a doubt about wicketkeeper Martin Speight who has a neck injury.

James Brinkley will play his first championship match since 1994, having been ruled out by injury in his final two seasons with Worcestershire. Skipper Jon Lewis added that Ian Hunter was not considered because he has had no match practice.

Nicky Peng stands down from the team which played Durham University to allow Martin Love to come in.

Durham: J J B Lewis (capt), M A Gough, M L Love, J A Daley, P D Collingwood, N J Speak, M P Speight (or A Pratt), D R Law, N Killeen, S J Harmison, S J Brinkley.