DURHAM skipper Mike Hussey is to be replaced by fellow Australian Jimmy Maher after his final championship match against Yorkshire, starting at Scarborough today.

Maher, a 31-year-old Queenslander, is a left-handed opening bat who has played in 26 one-day internationals and has a first-class average of 42.

He spent a couple of seasons with Glamorgan and was in their team which visited Riverside in 2003, scoring 63 and 24.

Maher will play in the last two championship games at home to Derbyshire and Northamptonshire, plus four totesport games.

Coach Martyn Moxon said: "We are looking forward to welcoming Jimmy. He is a natural opener and I am sure his experience will be hugely important in our promotion chase."

Vice-captain Paul Collingwood will take over the captaincy and Moxon added: "Paul has a great deal of influence both on the field and in the dressing room. He is a natural choice to lead the side."

Hussey needs 79 runs to complete his 1,000 in the championship for the season, while Collingwood needs 99 and both hope to reach the landmark this week as they seek to take a crucial step towards promotion.

Durham are 14.5 points ahead of Yorkshire, who have a game in hand, so a win for the Tykes, plus superior bonus points, would edge them ahead of their neighbours.

Durham have Australian paceman Brad Williams making his championship debut and have retained Gavin Hamilton in their squad. He could make his first championship appearance of the season against his former county.

Hamilton played in the equivalent match last season, scoring 58 in the second innings, and after a season in the background is again being given a late opportunity to prolong his first-class career.

If Hamilton plays it will signal a return to the balance Durham preferred in the first half of the season, with Collingwood performing the fourth seamer's role.

Recently they have played four frontline seamers, including Graham Onions, at the expense of a batsman. Onions has been left out this time, with Neil Killeen called up as cover.

Newly-signed Jamaican spinner Ryan Cunningham is also in the squad, but Durham would only gamble on rushing him into a debut if they were convinced the pitch would favour the spinners. That will become increasingly unlikely if the start is delayed by rain, as forecast.

Gary Scott returns after injury in place of James Lowe, with Moxon explaining: "James did well against Leicestershire, but Gary was also batting well before his injury and it's only fair that he should return now he's fit."

Durham (from): M E K Hussey (capt), G M Scott, P D Collingwood, G J Muchall, D M Benkenstein, G M Hamilton, G R Breese, P Mustard, L E Plunkett, B Williams, C Thorp, N Killeen, R Cunningham.

* Yorkshire are expected to confirm Darren Lehmann will be joining them in September for their last three Championship matches and four totesport League games.

The Australian left-hander, who returns to Yorkshire next season for the final year of his contract, is set to replace fellow countryman Phil Jaques, who leaves early next month for Australia A's tour of Pakistan.

If Yorkshire had won their last two Championship games instead of drawing them, then director of cricket, David Byas, may have felt that promotion was assured, meaning Jaques' place could have been filled by a younger batsman.

But with five teams contesting three promotion spots, Yorkshire need Lehmann

Read more about Durham here.