STEVE Harmison has been given the all-clear to make his comeback in the Durham team to play Middlesex in the four-day match starting at Riverside today.

The paceman missed the third Test in India and the one-day internationals because of a shin injury and hopes to be back in the England team for the second Test against Sri Lanka.

That should also allow him to play in the crucial C & G Trophy match at Old Trafford on Sunday, plus next week's championship match at Trent Bridge.

Harmison, who took 27 wickets at 14.51 when he played in the Durham team which won its first four championship matches last season, said: "I'm really looking forward to it. The Durham team have put in some great performances so far this season and I can't wait to contribute."

Had it not been for the injury, Durham were unlikely to have seen Harmison for more than a couple of one-day games this season, and with Mick Lewis also fit they now face a selection dilemma.

Two of the four seamers who played in the first two games against Kent and Lancashire will have to stand down, although all are in the 13-man squad.

There might be a temptation to rest 37-year-old Ottis Gibson, although without his batting ability at No 8 the tail would look rather weak.

Paul Collingwood and Liam Plunkett are on Test duty, as is Andrew Strauss for Middlesex, who are also still without New Zealander Scott Styris.

Their other overseas man is South African Johann Louw, formerly with Northamptonshire, and the squad includes three other seamers they have picked up from other counties - Melvyn Betts (ex-Durham), Chris Silverwood (ex-Yorkshire) and Mohammed Ali (ex-Derbyshire).

Alan Richardson comes back into contention after recovering from a fractured hand to bolster a new-look attack that has taken time to settle.

''Some of the new guys have been trying a bit too hard to impress,'' said director of cricket John Emburey.

''We've signed the players we have because we know they're good players, and we've told them that.''

With off-spinning all-rounder Paul Weekes missing from their squad, they have named leg-spinner Billy Godleman.

Middlesex, who narrowly escaped relegation last year, are bottom of division one with nine points from two defeats. Durham are sixth with 27 points, but have a game in hand on all the sides above them.

Now led by Ben Hutton, and with another famous grandson in their side in Nick Compton, Middlesex retain only Ed Joyce and Owais Shah from the last time they visited Riverside for a four-day game in early 2002.

Harmison played in that match and took three for 72 in Middlesex's first innings, but they won by ten wickets with Ashley Noffke taking three wickets in both Durham innings.

As Middlesex include Ed Smith, who in 2000 scored 175 for Kent at Riverside, batting is their strength and they will be out to atone for being dismissed for 98 by Hampshire at the Rose Bowl in last week's defeat.

Shah and Joyce missed that match as they were playing for England A against Sri Lanka.

Durham (from): D M Benkenstein (capt), J J B Lewis, J P Maher, G J Muchall, G J Pratt, G R Breese, P Mustard, O D Gibson, S Harmison, M L Lewis, G Onions, N Killeen, C D Thorp.