DURHAM could have a full hand of seamers to pick from for tomorrow's match against Hampshire at Basingstoke after being reduced to two capped pacemen last week.

Simon Brown, John Wood and Neil Killeen have all recovered from injury, and there is a chance that Steve Harmison will be released by England tonight.

"They told us they would be releasing two of the 14 for county duty," said Durham coach Norman Gifford. "If Steve is one of those we could have a selection dilemma, which is sod's law after what happened last week."

The feeling is that Harmison is unlikely to make his England debut at Edgbaston on Thursday as Ed Giddins will keep his place on his home ground and Robert Croft will come in to turn the ball away from the West Indies' seven left-handers.

There is even a chance that Harmison will be rested by Durham because if Basingstoke is anything like Tunbridge Wells two weeks ago accuracy will be far more important than pace.

Despite the struggles of the top order, Durham are resisting the temptation to recall Michael Gough, who is again in the second team for the four-day match against Worcestershire starting at the Riverside today.

Gough made 32 and 34 in his comeback against a weak Glamorgan second X1, but Durham will be keen for him to have the chance of more bowling over the next few days. Nick Speak always wanted to have the option of using his off spin in the first team this season.

The only contracted player still on the casualty list is Ryan Robinson, whose shoulder injury is taking much longer than expected to clear up.

l Chris Silverwood is all set to play his first Championship match of the season for top-of-the-table Yorkshire against Kent at Headingley tomorrow.

The fast bowler's only senior outing so far was in the Benson and Hedges Cup game with Durham on the opening day of the season when he suffered a heel problem which turned out to be more serious than first thought.

After a successful winter in South Africa, Silverwood would almost certainly have been in the frame for a Test place against Zimbabwe if this latest injury had not proved to be another setback.

Now Silverwood is eager to get back on track but he knows that he must first of all pick up wickets with Yorkshire before England start to notice him again.

Silverwood warmed up yesterday by playing for David Byas's team at Hornsea in a benefit match for the Yorkshire captain.

Ryan Sidebottom also returns to the squad on his recovery from a groin injury but he is likely to be made 12th man.

Only Craig White of Yorkshire's front-line bowlers remains sidelined with back and knee injuries but he scored a century for Scarborough at the weekend and also played for Byas's team yesterday.

Yorkshire will also miss the attacking thrust of Darren Gough tomorrow.