BEN STOKES will play for Durham today in the crucial Royal London Cup tie at home to Nottinghamshire but his availability for the rest of the week hinges on whether he regains his England place for the fifth Test at the Oval.

It is expected he will spend two days with the England squad as they prepare for the match starting on Friday, meaning he will miss the final Royal London Cup game against Surrey at Chester-le- Street on Thursday.

But if he is released the following morning he will head to Old Trafford for the start of what will be a key game in the LV County Championship’s relegation battle.

Durham coach Jon Lewis admitted: “Going straight into the championship game on Friday is going to be difficult, but that’s just the way it is.

“It would be useful to have Ben available because we’re not going to risk Mark Wood.

He’s just started bowling again this week for the seconds after his ankle injury and the Lancashire match will come too soon.

“It’s been tough for him having this series of injuries.

When he has been on the field he has done really well and we want him fully fit for the last four championship games, so it would be silly to rush him back too soon.”

After having their last two games washed out, Nottinghamshire remain unbeaten in this competition and are two points ahead of Durham with a game in hand.

They hope to have left-arm seamer Harry Gurney available if he is not required by England Lions, but will still be without Alex Hales and James Taylor.

Players of the calibre of Michael Lumb, Samit Patel, Riki Wessels and New Zealander James Franklin still give them plenty of firepower.

Durham left out Keaton Jennings for Sunday’s match against Middlesex, which was washed out after 14 overs, and Lewis explained: “With four frontline seamers we thought Gordon Muchall would give us a bit more power at No 7.

“But Keaton has adapted really well to his changing roles and he definitely has a future in one-day cricket.”

Even if Durham win both their remaining games this week they will not know for certain that they have qualified for the quarter-finals as the rest of the group play their final games tomorrow week.

Durham (from): M D Stoneman (capt), P Mustard, C S MacLeod, B A Stokes, P D Collingwood, S G Borthwick, G J Muchall, K K Jennings, G R Breese, J W Hastings, G Onions, C Rushworth, P Coughlin.