Stokes to link up with England squad (From The Northern Echo)

Stokes to link up with England squad

10:10am Tuesday 27th July 2010 in

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DURHAM’S Ben Stokes is to team up with the England squad for a day’s practice at Trent Bridge tomorrow.

With the first Test against Pakistan starting the following day, the 19-year-old allrounder will join in with some of the preparations and will also have a coaching session with Graham Gooch.

Durham coach Geoff Cook explained: “There is constant communication between the England coaching group and the counties and there has been a lot of interest in Ben since his two centuries in May.

“The Twenty20 put a brake on a lot of player development but he’s still very much in their minds. His batting has come on more than his bowling this season, but he has a lot of potential as a bowler.

“He hasn’t been able to concentrate on it because of injury and the fragmented nature of the season.”

Mark Davies’ comeback in the second team has been delayed until next week, when Worcestershire provide the opposition at South Northumberland in a one-day match on Tuesday, followed by a threeday game.

The seconds follow a similar schedule this week, away to Warwickshire, when exskipper Will Smith will continue his search for form.

He knows, however, that barring a change of plan Gordon Muchall will step back into the No 3 slot in the championship team for the game against Hampshire starting at Basingstoke next Tuesday.

He had to make way for Paul Collingwood against Lancashire last week and after making 77 in Sunday’s CB 40 match against Nottinghamshire he said: “I don’t mind where I bat, I just want to play and help Durham do well.

“I didn’t feel in great form after playing in the last three Twenty20 matches. You can lose your rhythm switching around between the different formats, but making two good scores for South Shields on the last two Saturdays has helped.”

Muchall, Ben Harmison and Chris Rushworth will travel from Warwickshire by train to Glasgow for Saturday’s CB 40 match against Scotland.

That kicks off a hectic schedule for Durham and they aren’t happy about a day off in Hampshire after the championship game before playing the CB 40 match at the Rose Bowl on the Sunday.

“We asked for it to be switched to the Saturday, but it wasn’t possible,” said Cook.

“We would also have liked an earlier start than 1.45, but it was a tough decision for them in terms of the crowd.

“It means we will have to travel up to Manchester straight after the match, probably arriving about 2am with a championship game starting nine hours later.”

Cook remains hopeful that Graham Onions will feature in Durham’s three championship games in September.

“His training schedule is going very well,” he said. “It will be two more weeks before he starts bowling. If he feels no discomfort and the ECB want him to prove his fitness for the Ashes this winter we could benefit from that.”

By Tim Wellock FIXTURES CRICKET Friends Provident T20 Quarter Final (1 day) Chelmsford: Essex v Lancashire (19.40) Taunton: Somerset v Northamptonshire (16.50) Second Under 19 Test Match (day 1 of 4) Scarborough: England Under 19 v Sri Lanka Under 19 (11.00) Teesside University NYSD Premier Division Fifteens: Great Ayton v Stokesley, Guisborough v Marton, Middlesbrough v Hartlepool, Normanby Hall v Thornaby, Darlington v Bishop Auckland, Richmondshire v Northallerton Tom Blair Trophy: Langley Park v Horden SG Petch Eggleston Cup: Rockliffe Park v Darlington RA, Barton v Aldbrough St John Wellstream NTSL Tyneside U18 Division U18: Burnopfield v Annfield Plain, Consett v Blaydon, Crookhall v Whickham, Greenside v Tantobie, Lanchester v Swalwell, Lintz v Shotley Bridge, Ryton v Sacriston Warmseal Durham Senior U18 League: Castle Eden v Felling, Marsden v Eppleton, Philadelphia v Durham City, South Hetton v Burnmoor, Sunderland v Whitburn 3D Sports Durham Coast U18 League: Ryhope Red v Silksworth, Peterlee v Boldon CA, Easington v Seaham Park, Bill Quay v Washington B, Dawdon v Wearmouth, Washington A v Seaham Harbour Newroc Homes DDCL Cummins Seven a Side Knockout Cup: East Cowton v Cliffe FOOTBALL UEFA Under-19 Championship Semi-Final Spain v England (3.00), France v Croatia (6.00) Selected Friendlies Garforth Town v Hartlepool (7.45) , Benfica v Sunderland (9.15pm), Workington v Darlington (7pm), York v Scunthorpe (7.45) RESULTS CRICKET Second Test Match Colombo: Sri Lanka 312-2 (K C Sangakkara 130 no, N T Paranavitana 100, T M Dilshan 54) v India Friends Provident T20 - Quarter Final Edgbaston: Warwickshire 153-5 Innings Complete v Hampshire 154-5 (J M Vince 66 no) – Hampshire beat Warwickshire by 5 wkts Trent Bridge: Nottinghamshire 141-9 Innings Complete (Yasir Arafat 4-34) v Sussex 128-7 – Nottinghamshire beat Sussex by 13 runs Friarside U18s Cup Whitburn 103-2 (A Bannister 50, C Appleby 2-20), Sacriston 108-5 (L Henderson 3-8).

Wellstream NTSL Tyneside Charity Bowl Benwell Hill 117-5 (M Dale 42, Z Khan 43), Blaydon 100-9 (P Freary 35, D Rutherford 3- 11).

Matthew Oswald Cup Chester le Street 141-4 (A Smith 32, R Waite 39), South Hetton 141-5 (H Vithana 49).

Cec Leece Trophy Semi-finals Barningham 157-5 (S Walker 80, R Stanwix 33, M Cundy 3-30), Rockliffe Park 63 (M Swanwick 33).

Darlington Building Society NYSD Junior League – North Division Blackhall 64-7 (R Watson 4-12), Barnard Castle 65-1 (J Quinn 37no).

Norton 51 (A Randall 4-4, K McAdam 3-8), Sedgefield 55-2.

Hartlepool 54-7 (S Male 3-11, N Armstrong 2-17), Richmondshire 55-3 (S Male 27).

Seaton Carew 93-1 (l Gough 28no, D Wilson 42no), Wolviston 79 (S Nicholson 35, L Gough 3-12).

Stockton 116-6 (T Coulthard 57), Darlington 117-1 (J Dobson 53, J Vickerman 48no).

South Division Middlesbrough 63-5, Guisborough 64-1.

Maltby 124-3 (A Hill 32), Marske 74-9 (M Crofts 2-5).

Redcar 106-5 (m Brown 50, G Shaw 3-17), Marton 84 (S Caddy 3-15).

Normanby Hall 129-7, Saltburn 100-5.

Thornaby 96-6, Stokesley 97-7.

Wellstream NTSL Tyneside U15 Division Greenside 118-6, Lintz 27.

Blaydon 137-4 (D Bailey 50, J Baines 33), Swalwell 33 (J Baines 4-5).

Annfield Plain 73-5, Whickham 74-3.

Readers Durham County U15 League Bishop Auckland 127-3 (B Lambert 50ret, R West 44), Shildon Railway 41 (A Taylor 2- 2, C Oldfield 2-3).

Esh Winning 131-4 (J Burnham 52ret, J Bainbridge 30), Ushaw Moor 94-7 (M Cowan 32, J Burnham 3-18).

Tudhoe 89-6 (M Parkin 30, G Olley 3-10), Brandon 41 (J Rhymer 4-7).

Crook Town 106-3 (B Upton 50ret), Willington 107-9 (P Stephenson 40, B Upton 3- 9).

Warmseal Durham Senior U18 League Castle Eden 123-3 (L Irwin 35, Dominic Mole 43), Hetton Lyons 109-9 (R Talbot 35, L Irwin 3-16, J Middleton 3-7).

3D Sports Durham Coast U15 League Hylton 80 (A Taylor 3-15), Bill Quay 81-4 (J Oliver 31, K Alcock 2-22).

Boldon Yellow 109-7 (J Carroll 50ret, C Symes 4-17), Boldon Blue 102-4 (D Carson 44, M Purvis 32, C Pirie 2-21).

Silksworth 93-3 (R Jones 37), Wearmouth 96-1 (S Huntley 43no).

Seaham Harbour 137-3 (M Marwood 48, L Turns 39, N Corkhill 27), Ryhope 111-6 (S Lawrence 24, A Craven 36, L Turns 2-20).

Washington Raiders 175-2 (J Thompson 52, A Beck 52, C Purdy 38), Seaham Park 32 (S Avis 3-8).

Banks Cup Semi-Final Sunderland 110-7, Chester le Street 113-