Cook issues a title challenge

Aug 24 2008 by Neil Farrington, Sunday Sun

DURHAM have been challenged to win today at Worcester and in their three remaining NatWest Pro40 games to challenge for the Division One title.

The Riversiders head to the west country shorn of England comeback king Steve Harmison, but buoyed by a stunning Pro40 win at Nottinghamshire in midweek.

And while that six-run victory, which saw Notts’ last seven wickets fall for 12 runs, only left Durham in mid-table, they are eyeing a late surge into top spot.

“It’s all very tight in Division One, and four wins out of four would give us a great chance,” said Cook, whose men will head to Hampshire’s Rose Bowl in midweek for a potentially pivotal match in their push for a maiden County Championship.

“We held our nerve superbly in the field against Notts and we can hopefully show the same resolve at Worcester.

“We’ve got a huge few weeks coming up, but it’s very much a case of taking each game as it comes.”

And Harmison’s absence today, following his surprise decision to end his one-day international exile, will be offset by the presence of Paul Collingwood in the Durham ranks.

“Collingwood is a proven international player and it’s great to have him available at New Road,” said Cook, who also welcomes back Michael Di Venuto into what looks a formidable line-up.

Not that Collingwood is back for good, having been freed only on loan by England’s selectors to warm up for Tuesday’s second one-day international against South Africa.

Friday night’s victory over the Proteas was the fourth and final game of the suspension served by former one-day skipper Collingwood for overseeing England’s slow over-rate against New Zealand in June.

Aside from him, in-form Will Smith and Shivnarine Chanderpaul will be confident of runs against a Worcestershire attack also shorn of its chief spearhead – Simon Jones.

Bowling-wise, Durham will hope that Graham Onions can provide firepower in the absence of Harmison, who is comfortably their leading one-day wicket-taker this season, and spinner Gareth Breese.

DURHAM: D Benkenstein (capt), M Di Venuto, P Mustard (wk), S Chanderpaul, W Smith, P Collingwood, P Wiseman, L Plunkett, B Harmison, M Davies, G Onions, G Muchall.