QUEENSLANDER Jimmy Maher arrived safely in the North-East yesterday, even if his luggage didn't.

The 31-year-old left-handed opening batsman is hoping to be reunited with his kit before making his Durham debut in the championship match against Derbyshire at Riverside today.

Maher takes over from Mike Hussey for the last two championship games, plus four totesport League matches.

He is described as a country boy from the far north of Queensland and is said to be a bubbly sort who has been a popular member of dressing rooms from the Gabba to the Gower, the latter being a reference to his time at Glamorgan.

He averaged 25.76 in 26 one-day internationals from 1998-2003, and has scored 10,006 first-class runs at 42.21. He also keeps wicket and was in Australia's 2003 World Cup-winning squad.

The only other change to the squad on duty at Scarborough last week is that James Lowe has been added in case Durham decide to leave out a seamer and play an extra batsman.

With Mark Davies ruled out for the rest of the season with a suspected stress fracture of the back, the bowling looks fragile compared with the attack which helped Durham win their first four games.

"Mark is a big loss," admitted coach Martyn Moxon. "His record over the last two years has been outstanding and it's frustrating that he hasn't been able to complete either season.

"But this is what the squad is all about. People have to come in and do the job, and we hope that on our own patch they can do that."

Callum Thorp enters his third championship game still looking for his first wicket. The fact that he and Neil Killeen are retained is an indication the younger bowlers have not kicked on.

Mark Turner and Graham Onions both impressed initially when they came into the side this season, but then went backwards.

Bottom club Derbyshire have lost eight of their 12 championship games this season, but one of their four draws was at home to Durham, when they were saved by rain and Michael Di Venuto's double century after following on.

Davies had three for four as Derbyshire were dismissed for 161 but started to have problems in the second innings.

He will again finish as leading wicket-taker with 47, unless Liam Plunkett can overtake him - currently on 39.

Paul Collingwood and Dale Benkenstein need 66 and 69 runs respectively to give Durham three batsmen with 1,000 championship runs in a season for the first time.

If they can take 22 points from the match they would need only four from the final game at home to Northants on September 14 to secure promotion, although it could be in the bag if Essex fail to beat Lancashire.

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

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