QUIZ question: Name the two Sunderland-born cricketers who have played Test cricket for England. Answer: Scott Borthwick and Bob Willis.

Even Borthwick himself wasn't sure of the answer, although he can be forgiven for not knowing that Willis spent the first six weeks of his life on Wearside.

Durham's leg-spinning all-rounder is now being hotly tipped to add to his one cap against Pakistan this summer, which would help to put Sunderland more firmly on the cricketing map.

Not that the city is slumbering in terms of producing Durham players as Borthwick was joined in Wednesday's Royal London Cup team by Phil Mustard, Chris Rushworth, Ryan Pringle and Paul Coughlin.

Durham could even afford to let one go in Ben Raine, now prospering with Leicestershire. But historically Sunderland has not been a rich breeding ground.

Borthwick came up with the names of Graeme Bridge, Mark Turner and Jimmy Daley, who have played first-class cricket for Durham.

But prior to Durham's elevation in 1992, Michael Roseberry was one of the few to make a mark with other first-class counties.

Maurice Nichol, from Hetton, played for Worcestershire in the 1930s and scored 17 first-class centuries, and more latterly Graeme Welch, also from Hetton, starred for Warwickshire and Derbyshire.

Pringle was born in Sunderland but has always lived in Hetton and thinks the Welch connection is one reason why he was linked with a move to Derbyshire last winter.

“I was out of contract and looking for a bit of security,” he said. “My agent was talking to people and as far as I was aware Derbyshire were quite keen. But I always wanted to stay with Durham and signed for two more years.

“I know Graeme Welch but I don't know why he recently quit as Derbyshire's coach. When I see his dad I'll ask him.”

Pringle, who was born the day after Durham completed their inaugural first-class match at Oxford University in 1992, feels cricket in the Sunderland area has been strong during his lifetime.

“We lived about ten seconds from Hetton Lyons' ground, so my parents were happy to let me walk there from the age of seven,” he said.

“There was always healthy competition in junior cricket, when I kept coming up against the likes of Scott Borthwick and Ben Raine.

“Hetton School was football-based, but we had a strong cricket team in my age group and we won the county cup for four or five years.

“I played for the Lyons until I joined the Durham Academy at 16. I see myself as an out-and-out all-rounder, but I'm happy to play any role and keep improving.”

There could be more interest from Derbyshire in the future after Pringle scored his maiden century there in the Royal London Cup 11 days ago.

Despite his 125, Durham were all out for 216 and lost by seven wickets, prompting him to say: “I want to score hundreds which win games. I wouldn't say everything came out of the middle that day until I got to 60 and after that it was a bit of a blur.”

There is no particular cricketing pedigree in Pringle's background, but Borthwick's dad, George, and his uncle, David, played for Ryhope.

“My dad also had some friends at Eppleton, so I went there when I was seven and stayed until I joined Philadelphia at 14,” he said. “I opened the batting and bowled a lot, so it was good to have had some senior cricket before I joined the academy.

“Life with Durham now is so busy that I've lost touch with club cricket. But I know clubs like Hetton Lyons and Eppleton have thriving junior sections.

“Hopefully the five of us with Durham can provide a bit of inspiration. More important than winning is to get kids involved and enjoying themselves.

“It's always good when you see people from your area doing well. Even some of my old mates with no interest in cricket are taking note.”

Given their financial worries, Durham can expect wealthier counties to show an interest in their better players.

But if Borthwick is to sign any other contract he wants it to be a central one with England.

“There's a long way to go to get there,” he said. “I just need to keep scoring runs, improving and impressing the right people.

“There is competition from people like Mark Stoneman, Adam Lyth and Sam Robson, and if England are prepared to pick division two players Tom Westley is doing well for Essex.”

In football terms there is a strong Newcastle-Sunderland rivalry in the Durham dressing room, although Borthwick says: “We are bigger fans than the Newcastle lot.

“Rocky (Stoneman) is not that big a fan and Graham Onions only goes when he can get a free ticket.”

Pringle added: “The rivalry has died down a bit now they've been relegated. I'd rather Newcastle had stayed up because the derbies gave us a bit more banter and Sunderland usually got six points.”

Both agreed that when Durham first started with Blaydon Races as their victory song it didn't go down well with the Sunderland contingent. But now they enjoy it.

“If we're singing it means we've won,” said Pringle.