DURHAM stepped up their search for left-arm bowlers by handing senior debuts to seamer Gurjit Sandhu and spinner Gurman Randhawa against Sri Lanka A yesterday.

They were the pick of the bowlers as the tourists began the four-day match at Emirates Riverside by making 273 for six before rain ended play shortly after 5pm.

Both 24, they made their first-class debuts five years ago, but while Sandhu went on to play four more times for Middlesex, Huddersfield-born Randhawa was not selected again by Yorkshire.

Sandhu began erratically but improved to take three wickets after being included in preference to Jamie Harrison, with whom Durham's patience may be wearing thin.

Randhawa was unlucky to take only one wicket a week after surviving the potential trauma of again facing Jordan Clark, who hit him for six sixes in an over in a second team match at Scarborough three years ago.

The spinner had several good shouts turned down after the day's first two victims were given out lbw by the burly Ian Blackwell.

He was Durham's last left-arm spinner, taking 149 first-class wickets at 25.89 in four seasons before decreasing fitness contributed to his release.

Blackwell began yesterday's match in conversation with Phil Mustard, fielding at square leg with Stuart Poynter keeping wicket. But Mustard spent much of the day sweeping the extra cover boundary and once sprinted 20 metres to bring off the sort of diving stop Blackwell could only have dreamt about.

Durham gave the captaincy to Paul Coughlin and handed a first-class debut to his 18-year-old brother, Josh, along with Adam Hickey.

Mark Wood made his comeback after his two ankle operations, but is not yet allowed to bowl in competitive action by the ECB medics.

It now seems he will return to full action against Lancashire at Southport on July 16 rather than at home to Hampshire next week.

If Paul Collingwood is missing next week because of his fractured thumb and Scott Borthwick against Lancashire because of the expected Test call, there will be a vacancy for a batsman.

The top four in this match are Hickey, Mustard, Calum MacLeod and Gordon Muchall, while Poynter is a good enough batsman to have scored a century against Sri Lanka A for Ireland two years ago.

Although several of these tourists have played in one-day internationals, only opener Udara Jayasundara has played Test cricket and he fell lbw to Sandhu for one.

Coughlin senior bowled himself in short bursts, no doubt under orders from management, who are nursing him back to full throttle very carefully.

He showed his great potential last season before his back problems returned, but doesn't yet look ready for a return to championship action. His brother looked lively and was more accurate, but without reward.

The tourists slipped to 119 for five before century-maker Roshen Silva led the revival. He survived one difficult chance to short extra cover off Hickey on 66 and had put on 74 at the close with Prabath Jayasuriya.

The latter is not believed to be related to Sanath Jarasuriya, whose talent was first observed by Durham fans in a one-day match at Hartlepool in 1991. They will need to see a bit more of Prabath, who also bowls left-arm spin, before making a comparison.

Former Durham bowler Peter Chase has been recalled to the Ireland squad for five one-day internationals against Afghanistan from July 10-19. Barry McCarthy and Stuart Poynter are again included.