DURHAM'S C & G Trophy match at home to Warwickshire tomorrow has come just too early for Steve Harmison but he could make his comeback in the championship game against Middlesex, starting at Riverside on Wednesday.

Durham are reporting the paceman's progress to Lord's every time he bowls and will be guided by the England team.

Coach Martyn Moxon said: "Steve has bowled in our last two practice sessions and will bowl again on Sunday. Providing there is no reaction he will practise with us on Tuesday and if England are happy he might play against Middlesex."

Failing that, Harmison's comeback will be in next Sunday's C & G match at Old Trafford against Lancashire, who are among the favourites to progress to the final from the northern group.

He could then fit in the fourday game against champions Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge starting the following Wednesday, which is due to end five days before the second Test against Sri Lanka at Edgbaston.

Mark Davies is now considered fully match fit but will have to wait his chance. He has the opportunity to push his claims in the A team's two-day friendly against Worcestershire at Kidderminster on Monday and Tuesday.

With Liam Plunkett on England A duty, Neil Killeen will deputise in the one change from the Durham team which opened the C & G campaign with a fourwicket win against Northants.

Moxon admitted: "It was very tough to leave Neil out on Monday. It shows the bowling strength we have when we can do without someone with his oneday record.

"Dale Benkenstein led us to victory but the other batsmen in the middle-order played very well around him."

It was Durham's first win against first-class opposition in the senior one-day event since 2001, when they lost to Lancashire at Blackpool in the quarter-finals.

Ending that jinx should lift their confidence ahead of what are likely to be two of their toughest matches in the group.

Warwickshire were beaten finalists last season and while Nick Knight, who played more than 100 one-day internationals, has stood down from the captaincy, he still poses a big threat at the top of the order.

He has the big-hitting Neil Carter alongside him, with Ian Bell and the in-form Jonathan Trott to follow. Former Zimbabwe skipper Heath Streak has taken over the reins.

Durham beat Warwickshire by eight wickets in a rain-affected totesport League match on the final day of last season.

DDurham: D M Benkenstein (capt), J P Maher, J J B Lewis, P D Collingwood, G J Muchall, G J Pratt, G R Breese, P Mustard, O D Gibson, N Killeen, M L Lewis.