DURHAM will have Steve Harmison back in their squad when they attempt to record a fifth successive championship win for the first time at Headingley, starting on Friday.
Although coach Geoff Cook expects Harmison to feature in the Ashes series at some stage, Graham Onions has been preferred in the 13- man squad for the opener at Cardiff.
With Yorkshire reeling from their defeat at Taunton, Durham will hope to extend their 18-point lead at the top following their week’s rest.
Either Callum Thorp or Mitch Claydon will make way for Harmison after failing to make the breakthrough as a new-ball pair in both innings against Worcestershire.
At 34, Thorp appears to have lost some of the zip which earned him 50 championship wickets last season and his haul of 11 in seven matches includes the three tail-enders he sent back when Somerset were routed for 69 at Taunton.
Although Mark Davies can be expected to improve following his first outing after injury, Liam Plunkett was the only one of the four seamers to take more than two wickets in the match against Worcestershire.
His tally of 11 was a match-winning performance and Cook said: “I’m delighted for him. He didn’t have much cricket behind him and he’s had a frustrating couple of years.
“He was on the periphery of the England set-up and has had a few injuries. When he first came into our team he bowled quickly and used his height to hit the pitch.
“England tried to change his style a bit, but we’ve tried to re-invent the bowler we had four or five years ago.
We want him to use his height and athleticism because we know if he gets it right he bowls wicket-taking deliveries.
“He was a bit rusty at the start of the Worcestershire match, but wickets bring confidence and rhythm.”
Headingley has happy memories for Plunkett, 24, as he took five for 53 on his championship debut there six years ago. He also scored 68 not out there last season as he shared Durham’s record eighth-wicket stand of 143 with Phil Mustard.
Durham are also likely to recall Mark Stoneman to the squad for the Yorkshire match after he proved his recovery from his thigh injury with a century for Blaydon on Saturday.
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