IT is beginning to look as though Andrew Pratt may have played his last game for Durham, and although his wicketkeeping is admired around the land he is unlikely to move anywhere else.

With Phil Mustard well ensconced behind the first team stumps, Pratt has been notable by his absence from recent second team games, with someone called Garry Park taking the gloves. He is a student at Cambridge, where former Durham wicketkeeper Chris Scott is in charge of the University Cricket Centre of Excellence.

At this time last year both Pratt and Mustard were batting in the top three in the Twenty20 Cup, but once Mustard, who at 22 is eight years younger, had taken over for the last few championship games he was unlikely to be shifted.

Pratt, who has chosen to become a plumber, has played 62 first-class matches, having had a long wait in the first place to take over from Martin Speight. In his first full season in 2001 he was voted Player of the Year by the members and by the following season many considered him the best gloveman in the country.

Unfortunately, his batting never quite reached the standard required of wicketkeepers these days and in 105 innings he averaged 21.6 with a top score of 93 against Gloucestershire at Riverside in 2002.

He boasts the most first-class stumpings (12) and the most one-day league stumpings (18) for Durham, but it was the one at Blackpool in the C & G Trophy quarter-final in 2001 which is best remembered. Everyone who saw the speed with which he took the ball from Danny Law down the leg side and whipped off Glen Chapple's bails still raves about it.

TALKING of Martin Speight, I found myself alongside him and former skipper Jon Lewis on my first venture into the new media centre at Riverside last week.

They have been helping with the commentary on Radio Newcastle for the Twenty20 games, with Lewis being regularly available after breaking a finger when batting for the second team.

It seems it had been decided he would play no part in the Twenty20 this season, and as he quite fancies a media career this was a good opportunity to take up the microphone.

As it's not a bad break, Lewis could be fit to face Lancashire when the championship programme resumes at Riverside on Friday, and as he might have to face Vanburn Holder at some stage he would not wish to be quoted on the umpire's performance in two Twenty20 games this week.

I got the impression, however, that Speight was as unimpressed as I was by Thursday night's decisions at Headingley. Gordon Muchall was given out lbw first ball after a big edge on to his pad, Phil Mustard had made his ground when he was given run out, and a Yorkshire player survived despite being a yard short when Dale Benkenstein hit the stumps with a 30-yard throw from square on. The following night at Riverside Nicky Peng clearly thought he had got a very bad lbw decision.

Vanburn is a popular man, but I have long been of the opinion that umpires should be retired at 60, which was supported by Roy Palmer's performance in Durham's totesport match at The Oval.

Unfortunately, of the current crop of 25 that would rule out ten of them, with several more not far behind.

DURHAM are to play Yorkshire for a third time this season in Twenty20 combat when the sides meet at the Scarborough Festival on Monday, August 22, two days before their championship clash starts.

Fears about the ground have now receded, as opposed to re-seeded. Following a levelling of the outfield, plus re-seeding, it was found that some areas of grass were growing faster than others, ruling the ground out of action for club cricket until last weekend. But all seems to be well now, which is a big relief to those of us who consider it the best viewing ground in the country.

In the official Twenty20 competition, the return match is at Riverside tonight, but there will be little at stake after the Durham Light Infantry Trophy was contested at Headingley on Thursday. Durham coach Martyn Moxon would prefer the world's largest sports trophy to be up for grabs in proper cricket, but the DLI decided to switch it to the Twenty20 two years ago as the sides had not met for two years in the championship.

That decision was taken just prior to Durham beating their neighbours for the first time in four-day cricket, and they had to wait until last year's Twenty20 clash to win the DLI Trophy for their first time.

DESPITE his great success, the name of Durham's acting captain Dale Benkenstein continues to cause confusion. One of the public address men at Riverside announced him as Ben Kenstein, and his christian name appeared as Gale in a national newspaper last week.