DURHAM will need to have their feet back on the ground today in the first of their two visits to Lord’s as they attempt to stave off any threat of relegation.

After celebrating Saturday’s Royal London Cup semi-final win, it’s back to the reality of making sure they stay in Division One of the LV County Championship for a tenth successive season.

They stand alongside hosts Middlesex in joint third bottom place and, as he prepares for his final championship appearance, John Hastings said: “It’s essential we take some points from the game.

“I’ve had a fantastic summer with Durham and I don’t want to sign off with a defeat.

“They will have Steve Finn and Sam Robson back, so we’ll have to be on top of our game.

“It was a childhood dream of mine to play at Lord’s, so I’m really looking forward to it. Chennai Superkings wanted me on a flight to India at the weekend, but were kind enough to let me stay on for this.

“There’s a lot of talent in the Durham team and they don’t deserve to go down.

I’ve been really impressed with the way everybody has stepped in the last few weeks.”

Lancashire, who are 12 points behind Durham, are at Sussex this week and if Durham can maintain the gap they should make it unassailable in their game in hand at home to relegated Northamptonshire next week.

Calum MacLeod misses this week’s game as he is playing for Scotland in two one-day games against Ireland. He scored 25 yesterday when the Scots were dismissed for 172 with Durham’s Stuart Poynter claiming four catches behind the stumps.

Ireland have not called upon Peter Chase, whose five-wicket haul on debut helped Durham to beat Nottinghamshire last week.

He is again in the squad but is unlikely to play as the return of Ben Stokes bolsters the seam attack.

Stokes will be keen to maintain the form he showed in his magnificent innings of 164 on Saturday, especially as his last visit to Lord’s saw him bag a pair in the second Test against India.

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