A SEASIDE rendezvous with Lancashire may well determine Durham’s chances of clinching the LV County Championship Division One title – and a glory treble for the season. Dale Benkenstein’s men began a crucial four-day match at Blackpool today against one of their main rivals for the championship crown – buoyed by their recent excellent form. The Friends Provident Trophy holders are on the verge of promotion to Division One of the Pro40 League with just one match remaining. They were also in good shape in the County Championship going into today’s game, lying second after their recent impressive victory over Worcestershire at the Riverside. Durham, having won five and drawn four of their 13 games to date, are 11.5 points behind leaders Yorkshire, with Lancashire just 6.5 points behind the Riversiders in fourth place. The Tykes are currently in action against third-placed Sussex, who are also in the Championship frame and who visit Chester-le-Street for another key four-day match next week. After that fixture, the Riversiders round off their county programme against struggling Kent at Canterbury. It is very much crunch time for Durham, but Benkenstein senses no nerves in the camp as a superb season reaches its climax. He said: “We have a great blend of experienced guys who have been in this situation before and young players desperate to do well. “They seem to be taking each test in their stride at the moment and there is a ruthless mentality in the dressing room.” Head coach Geoff Cook has named a 12-man squad to face Lancashire, with youngster Mark Stoneman coming in for Shiv Chanderpaul. The West Indian batting sensation has left the North East to play in the forthcoming Twenty20- World Cup, but hopes to return next summer. Paceman Ottis Gibson went into today’s match just 11 wickets away from 300 in LV County Championship matches. Opener Michael Di Venuto – expected to play despite a hernia problem – hopes to add to the 1,125 runs which have made him Durham’s leading run-maker so far this season. Seamer Mark Davies was included in the squad after spending a month on loan with Nottinghamshire. SQUAD: Michael Di Venuto, Mark Stoneman, Kyle Coetzer, Dale Benkenstein, Gordon Muchall, Phil Mustard, Ben Harmison, Ottis Gibson, Liam Plunkett, Graham Onions, Mark Davies, Paul Wiseman.
MIKE Yardy felt he had chosen the perfect time to record his first Championship century of the season after Sussex had the better of the opening day of their clash against LV County Championship leaders Yorkshire at Hove.
Yardy’s 119 helped defending champions Sussex reach 386-5 after winning the toss on a good batting wicket. He admitted: “It has been a difficult season for me. I have not played as well as I would have liked and a lot of things have contributed to that.” | 
