DURHAM will face the latest West Indian speed merchant in their final game, starting today, with the weather unlikely to allow the preparation of a better pitch on which to face him.

Visitors Worcestershire have signed Shannon Gabriel to replace spinner Saeed Ajmal in the hope that winning their last two games might save them from relegation.

Seam bowling has not been their problem, with Joe Leach, Jack Shantry and Charlie Morris all enjoying a healthy haul. But with the addition of Gabriel they will hope to have an edge against a Durham team shorn of John Hastings.

Following Saturday's rain, and more expected today, the pitch is again likely to favour the seamers, but Durham skipper Paul Collingwood has backed new groundsman Vic Demain to bring about improvements.

“I have 100 per cent confidence in the groundsman's knowledge of the game and how to prepare a pitch,” he said. “We often laugh about the pitches, but he is learning every game here.

“For the last match against Hampshire there was less grass than I have seen here before, but there was more movement than ever, so Vic was scratching his head.

“We want all the different disciplines of cricket tested, so we need pitches which give some help to spinners as well as seamers, but on which we can also score big runs. I am convinced Vic is the man to get it right.”

After his season's-best 96 not out at Trent Bridge last week, Michael Richardson described batting at Riverside as “a lottery”. But the batsmen could not blame the pitch for their second innings collapse against Nottinghamshire.

Collingwood could not be expected to maintain his excellent start to the season, which culminated in his 127 at Worcester in June when Durham knocked off a target of 318 with six wickets standing.

He has made one half-century since and while others initially compensated they have performed poorly as a unit during their depressing run of six defeats and one draw.

They might try to add depth to the batting today by recalling Usman Arshad following his side injury. Either he or James Weighell could take over from Jamie Harrison, but Barry McCarthy will be given another chance in an otherwise unchanged side.

Durham (from): P D Collingwood (capt), M D Stoneman, J Burnham, S G Borthwick, M J Richardson, G J Muchall, R D Pringle, B McCarthy, C Rushworth, G Onions, J Harrison, U Arshad, W J Weighell.