DURHAM face a trial by spin as they attempt to maintain their 100 per cent County Championship record against Lancashire at Old Trafford today.

Derbyshire knew to expect the same on the last day of their match at the Red Rose headquarters on Monday, but it was Gary Keedy rather than Muttiah Muralitharan who swept Lancashire to an innings win.

On a dry, wearing pitch Keedy took six for 60 with his left-arm spin, while the Sri Lankan's only victim was last man Nick Walker.

"I expect it to be very dry," said Durham coach Martyn Moxon. "Both teams played two spinners in the Derbyshire match, so we will probably keep Graeme Bridge in our team."

Durham expected the Stockton pitch to take spin, but Bridge bowled only three overs in the win against Somerset, just before lunch on the first morning.

In fact, Durham have sent down only 11 overs of spin in total, without a wicket, in winning their first three games. They stand five points clear of Essex at the top of division two, with Lancashire six points further adrift in third place.

In their only innings against Derbyshire, Lancashire totalled 469 with Stuart Law, now England-qualified, making 112 and Mal Loye 101. They lost six wickets to the left-arm spin of Ant Botha, man of the match in last week's C & G Trophy win against Durham.

Brad Hodge, who arrived late following an injury, made 65 on his Lancashire debut and Durham will be keen to remove him cheaply after he made 262 against them at Leicester last season.

Like most of England's top six, Andrew Flintoff has yet to play a significant innings this season and as he is big pals with Steve Harmison it could be a lively contest between the two.

With Glen Chapple, Warren Hegg and Dominic Cork also in their side, there is plenty of depth in the Lancashire batting and it is difficult to imagine how they managed to get themselves relegated last season.

Although this will be Durham's first championship visit to Old Trafford since 2000, the first season of two divisions, they have often been spun to defeat there.

In 1993 they scored 515 for nine declared yet lost by six wickets after being dismissed for 83 in their second innings, bowled out by Alex Barnett and Mike Watkinson in his off-spin mode.

In 2000 they scored 370 and again lost by six wickets after Keedy and Gary Yates shared the wickets as they were dismissed for 206 second time around.

In fact, Durham have never even come close to beating Lancashire in the championship and skipper Mike Hussey acknowledged: "This will be a litmus test of how good we are.

"The guys are looking forward to the challenge.

"We have played well and we have an overseas bowler in Mick Lewis who is itching to play but he can't get in the team.

"He will be with us at Old Trafford just to be around the squad because we might need him for the next match against Yorkshire, when Steve Harmison can't play."

Durham (from): M E K Hussey (capt), J J B Lewis, P D Collingwood, G J Muchall, D M Benkenstein, G R Breese, P Mustard, L E Plunkett, G D Bridge, M Davies, S J Harmison, N Peng