THE last few years have not been easy for Durham. Senior players such as Dale Benkenstein, Steve Harmison, Michael Di Venuto and Will Smith have either retired or moved elsewhere, while Geoff Cook, a huge factor in the club’s three County Championship triumphs, was forced to relinquish his position as head coach and take up a role in the academy after suffering a heart problem.

To make matters worse, finances have been tight, forcing the relinquishing of a number of international matches that had been scheduled for Emirates Durham ICG and requiring the club to seek the support of Durham County Council in order to stage the successful Ashes Test in 2013.

Had money been more readily available, the Durham board might well have embarked on a recruitment drive to plug the gaps in the squad that were apparent last winter. As it was, a marquee overseas player was deemed to be beyond the budget – for all that Australian John Hastings has been a huge success, he arrived with just 15 international appearances to his name – and the decision was made to rely on the products of the club’s academy.

Not for the first time, it has proved a wise choice. With their top-flight status in the Championship secured thanks to three successive victories, Durham will head to Lord’s tomorrow looking to win England’s leading one-day competition for the second time.

Their appearance in the Royal London Cup final would be a notable feat whatever the circumstances. That it has been earned by a squad relying heavily on home-grown talent only enhances the extent of the achievement.

Win, lose or draw tomorrow (and if their 2007 Friends Provident Trophy success is anything to go by, it’s more than possible that events could spill over into a second day), Durham have cemented their status as the North-East’s most successful producer of sporting talent. In truth, no one even comes close.

Paul Collingwood is still there, representing the old guard that transformed Durham from the laughing stock of county cricket to a team that became adept at winning trophies, but with the club’s initial wave of North-East internationals having left the scene, a new crop of stars has emerged to take their place.

Ben Stokes for instance, whose sensational century in the semi-final did so much to book Durham’s place at Lord’s. Already experienced in England’s one-day and Test teams, the 23-year-old, who has spent almost a decade in Durham’s academy, is one of English cricket’s brightest stars.

Or what about Sunderland-born Scott Borthwick, who passed 1,000 Championship runs for the second season in succession this week and whose leg-spin makes him a hugely appealing proposition in terms of future England Test selection?

The Northern Echo: ENGLAND CALL: Durham’s Scott Borthwick

Chris Rushworth, another Wearsider, has not really been considered for international honours yet, but his time cannot be far away after he capped a fantastic season with a remarkable display of bowling on Wednesday that saw him claim 15 wickets in the day as Durham thrashed Northamptonshire by an innings and 219 runs.

Of the side that beat Northants, Mark Stoneman and Gordon Muchall are also born-and-bred in the North-East. Sunderland’s Phil Mustard will return to action tomorrow, while Gateshead’s Graham Onions would also be playing a prominent role were he not sidelined through injury.

While the region’s leading football clubs increasingly look overseas for their talent, and Newcastle Falcons have seen their quota of North-East players gradually reduce over the years, Durham continue to live up to the pledge that was initially made when the county achieved first-class status in 1991.

Back then, the club’s leaders promised to provide a route that would enable talented North-East youngsters to progress all the way to the pinnacle of the game without having to leave the region.

Tomorrow, up to seven former academy products will take the field at Lord’s looking to triumph in English cricket’s biggest domestic game. In terms of sporting success stories, it doesn’t get much better than that.

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MOST of the conversations I’ve had about Alan Pardew’s position as Newcastle United manager this week have revolved around one question: ‘Why hasn’t Mike Ashley sacked him?’ It’s just about possible that Ashley doesn’t think his manager is doing that bad a job, although given that the Magpies owner was at St Mary’s last Saturday, he can be under no illusions about the depths that Pardew is currently plumbing.

Perhaps it’s simple pig-headedness, with Ashley not wanting to admit he was wrong? There would certainly be an element of losing face if he was to hand Pardew his P45, but he dismissed Kevin Keegan after appointing him and has changed tack on a number of hugely contentious issues during his time at St James’ Park.

The much likelier explanation, as it always tends to be with Ashley, revolves around money. The exact details of Pardew’s long-term contract have never been revealed, but with more than six years still to run, it’s safe to assume that severing the agreement will not be cheap.

The Northern Echo:

From Ashley’s perspective, it would be preferable for Pardew to fall on his sword. Yet despite all the vitriol that has been hurled at him from the stands, the Newcastle boss ploughs on, vowing to turn things around.

It feels like a stare-out competition, with neither figure wanting to blink. And all the while, a once-proud football club becomes even more of a laughing stock.

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DESPITE winning the French Derby and finishing second in the Juddmonte International at York, there was a risk of The Grey Gatsby ending the season without even a fraction of the recognition he deserved.

Not anymore. Saturday’s victory over Epsom Derby winner, Australia, in the Irish Champions Stakes ensured Kevin Ryan’s three-year-old was rightly celebrated as one of the best Flat horses trained in North Yorkshire for many a decade.

The Northern Echo: Ryan Moore on The Grey Gatsby wins the Dante.pic: Anthony Chappel-Ross (9568978)

The Grey Gatsby could end his season at Ascot next month in the Qipco Champion Stakes, with Ryan already confirming that he will remain in training to be campaigned as a four-year-old.

That is fantastic news for North Yorkshire racing, and caps a fine season that has seen the likes of David O’Meara, Brian Ellison, David Barron and the incomparable Mark Johnston enjoying sustained success.

Numerically, the region might not be able to compete with the southern bases of Newmarket or Lambourn. In terms of quality though, we continue to punch above our weight.