Since their opening day victory Stockton have slowly slipped down the table, and while not in any immediate relegation danger a run of six games without a win sees them in ninth with just three teams below them.

But there is hope of better days to come following the announcement in the last 48 hours of the re-signing of Durham left-arm paceman Jamie Harrison who, alongside Keaton Jennings, featured so heavily for the Teessiders in their triumphant 2013 season.

Having endured bad luck with injuries over the last couple of years Harrison hasn’t played a First Class game since early last season, and is still in the rehabilitation stage following an ankle operation. He had signed for NTSL outfit Leadgate, but hasn’t made an appearance for them as his fight for fitness has been carefully managed.

He picked up a six-wicket haul in a recent Durham second team match at Brandon, and Stockton will be hoping to see plenty of him in the coming weeks as his fight for full fitness continues, although that will not include an appearance today in the home game against Whitburn.

The Teessiders are unchanged, as their visitors bring in Paul Shields for the unavailable Ross Carty, although Paul Coughlin will not feature.

There is no doubt the man of the moment in the Premier Division is Chester-le-Street’s Simon Birtwisle, currently in the form of his life. The opening bat scoring three centuries in six days across three different formats last week.

The purple patch started on Bank Holiday Monday when Felling were dispatched from the Banks Salver with an unbeaten 164 scored from just 126 balls. Five days later he was putting the Stockton attack to the sword in a league game, this time 150 not out from 157 balls, and then the next day York were battered by Birtwisle in the National Club Cup as his 118 from 99 balls ensured safe passage into the group final.

Add into that the fact that Birtwisle tops both the league batting and bowling averages and there can be little argument with the notion that he has never played better.

Birtwisle’s success is going hand in hand with club success, the progress on the cup fronts accompanied by a 29-point lead at the top of the Premier Division.

Next on the Birtwisle shopping list are Benwell Hill who entertain the Cestrians today.

The home team have recovered from the blip which saw them lose two successive matches when they had to play without the services of Pakistani Zohaib Khan and Durham player Jack Clark. When both returned Hill got back on track and they currently sit third on the table - both play today.

First Division leaders Brandon travel to South Hetton with their hosts battling to stay clear of the relegation placing currently occupied by Sunderland.

Skipper Tony Murphy returns from holiday to lead a Hetton side who are delighted to have Daniel Stewart back in the dressing room. He makes his seasonal debut after a year-long battle to overcome a serious shoulder injury. Brandon stick with the same side who saw their lead at the top of the table whittled down to 15 points following their draw with Boldon.

Boldon can have another say in the top of the table battle today when the same team tries to get to grips with second-placed Burnmoor who are gradually getting up a head of steam. The Moor are also unchanged for this one, which means Stephen Meek is still missing.