DURHAM cricket fans will be spoilt for choice on Friday, when the West Indies begin a three-day match against the MCC at the Racecourse ground, while the county side entertain Worcestershire bolstered by three internationals.
New signing Scott Styris is expected to arrive tonight and the England authorities have made Steve Harmison and Liam Plunkett available for the Friends Provident Trophy match at Riverside. Paul Collingwood can play in Sunday's match at Headingley, but not the two bowlers.
Assuming Styris is not too jetlagged after flying in from New Zealand, he will play on Friday alongside Durham's other overseas man, Michael Di Venuto.
The Tasmanian left the field early in Monday's match against Scotland after twice being struck on an arm. But he would have batted if necessary and will be fit to face Worcestershire.
Saltburn's Lee Hodgson is in the MCC team to play the West Indies. The MCC Young Cricketer went on as a substitute during the Lord's Test and held a stunning catch off Steve Harmison's bowling to dismiss Jerome Taylor.
Sri Lanka's opening batsman and former captain, Sanath Jayasuriya, will lead the MCC team and will fly to England especially for the match.
The team includes former MCC Young Cricketer Will Porterfield, who represented Ireland in this year's World Cup, plus four Durham University players and Viv Richards' son, Mali.
This match is the only remaining three-day, first-class fixture the West Indians will play on their tour.
John Stephenson, MCC Head of Cricket, said: "The youngsters in the team will be able to learn a great deal from Sanath. MCC is committed to developing university cricket, not only with financial assistance but also by providing top-quality playing opportunities."
MCC squad: Sanath Jayasuriya (capt, Sri Lanka), Ruel Brathwaite (Loughborough UCCE),Simon Butler (Cardiff UCCE), Shaaiq Choudhry (Leeds/Bradford UCCE), Paul Dixey, Laurie Evans, James Morris, Robbie Williams (Durham UCCE), Lee Hodgson (MCC Young Cricketers), William Porterfield (Ireland, ex-MCC YC & Leeds/Bradford UCCE, Mali Richards (Oxford UCCE), Zoheb Sharif (Cambridge UCCE), Mark Tomsett (MCC Young Cricketers)
Ground admission prices are £12 for adults and £5 for over-60s, students and U-18s. An audio description service will be available free of charge inside the ground for those spectators who are blind or partially sighted.
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