DURHAM look set to play two brothers in a first-class match for the first time against Lancashire at Old Trafford today.

Andrew and Gary Pratt, from Crook, are both in the squad of 12, and the only possibility of one not playing is if Michael Gough is fit and Gary is the one to stand down.

Even that is unlikely as Durham are keen to give the 18-year-old left-hander a chance, particularly as he is a good player of spin and Lancashire are expected to play both Chris Schofield and Gary Keedy.

It will be Gary Pratt's first-class debut, while 25-year-old Andrew has played three times, twice against Cambridge University and once against Lancashire at the Riverside two years ago, when he made nought and 34.

Martin Speight, who missed that match through injury, has been dropped from Durham's championship side for the first time in three and a half seasons since joining from Sussex.

Since missing a season through an ME-type illness six years ago his batting has never recaptured the sparkle of his early career. Before this season his average with Durham was 24.34, and this year his championship average is 17.1.

He has been out first ball in his last two innings and skipper Nick Speak said: "It is not easy dropping a player who has held his place for three years, but Martin's all-round confidence has taken a hit.

"Andrew Pratt deserves his chance for his displays in the second team and we have had encouraging reports about Gary. He plays spin well, which could be crucial at Old Trafford."

Unfortunately, it will be a brief promotion for both Gary and Nicky Peng as they are in the England Under-19 squad which starts the one-day series against Sri Lanka on the same day as Durham's next championship match, at home to Somerset on July 28.

Jimmy Daley has been dropped again and with Melvyn Betts ruled out by his knee injury, off-spinner Nicky Phillips will play.

The final choice is likely to be between Gough and Peng. Gough has been given the all-clear following fears that he might be suffering from tuberculosis and he worked with the squad at Old Trafford yesterday.

If he feels confident of getting through four days of cricket he will almost certainly play.

Durham lost by an innings and 14 runs at Old Trafford last season, when five wickets for Schofield saw them collapse from 144 for no wicket to 226 all out in their first innings.

With Mike Atherton running into form with two centuries in the last week it looks like a tough task for one of the youngest championship sides Durham have fielded.

Durham (from): N J Speak (capt), J J B Lewis, M A Gough, S M Katich, P D Collingwood, G Pratt, N Peng, A Pratt, N C Phillips, J Wood, N Killeen, S J E Brown.

l LEICESTERSHIRE cricket manager Jack Birkenshaw is determined to avoid a repeat performance of the County Championship humbling by Surrey when the two sides square up again at Guildford.

Adam Hollioake's side, inspired by Alistair Brown's unbeaten 295, thrashed Vince Wells' men by an innings and 178 runs at Oakham School nine days ago.

But now the Midlanders are on a revenge mission, as they bid to slash table-topping Surrey's 25-point advantage over them.

Birkenshaw said: "In our last match against Surrey they were better than us in every aspect of the game, although we didn't help ourselves with some dropped catches. They're an international side with some outstanding cricketers.

''We will have to play Saqlain Mushtaq a bit better than we did last time but they have other dangerous players such as Ian Salisbury and Ali Brown.

''We will have to improve and be consistent throughout the game if we are to beat them.''

Chris Lewis is out with a hip problem, while Surrey are without batsmen Graham Thorpe and Alec Stewart, who are both on England duty.

Hampshire host Kent at Portsmouth in a match set to be a real basement battle.

Hampshire's director of cricket Tim Tremlett said: ''It's a crucial match and should be a very closely-fought encounter. Kent have had some bad luck with the injuries they've had to their bowlers such as Dean Headley and Martin McCague.

''Their attack has been weakened because of this and we will be looking to capitalise in this department by making a challenging total.