DURHAM will consider playing both Andy Blignaut and Australian paceman Shaun Tait in their next championship match against Somerset, starting at Riverside next Friday.

With Marcus North already in the side, questions are bound to be asked about how they can include three overseas men. But Blignaut was taken on as a "Kolpak" signing, taking advantage of Zimbabwe's trade agreement with the EU.

"He has to leave us for pre-season work with Tasmania after the Somerset game," said coach Martyn Moxon.

"It would be nice to see him in another four-day game because I'm sure there's a lot more to come from him in the bowling department."

In his two championship games so far, at home to Derbyshire and away to Leicestershire, Blignaut has taken four wickets at 50 apiece.

But Moxon feels his form reflects the fact that he hadn't played for three months and said he would be under consideration for a return to Durham next season.

Tait arrives next Thursday morning and will play against Somerset the following day if he is not suffering from jetlag.

Blignaut has not had a chance to practise this week as he has been suffering from a chest infection, but Gavin Hamilton recovered more quickly than expected from an ankle injury and scored a half-century in a practice match on Thursday.

While Hamilton is a possibility, it would be more likely that Liam Plunkett would step in if Blignaut fails to recover for tomorrow's crucial totesport League match at home to Worcestershire.

The visitors have won six of their eight matches, including the last five, since Durham thrashed them at New Road in May to move into second place, two points ahead of Durham with two games in hand.

"We can't afford any slip-ups," said Moxon. "But if we win all four of our remaining games I think we will go up because the others will be taking points off each other.

"It would be good if it came down to our last match against Yorkshire at Scarborough - especially if we won it."

Durham's other two games are both at home - against Somerset in next Wednesday's floodlit match and against Sussex on August 29.

Although Nicky Peng has been short of runs since his shoulder injury, he will keep his place in the squad tomorrow ahead of Phil Mustard, despite the reserve wicketkeeper's 193 for the second team at Darlington this week.

Peng launched the innings with 65 when Durham rattled up 319-3 at New Road, their record score in the one-day league, with Marcus North and Paul Collingwood hitting centuries. They are likely to field the team which beat Nottinghamshire at Cleethorpes last Sunday, with Plunkett and Gordon Muchall joining the squad.

Durham (from): J J B Lewis (capt), M J North, N Peng, P D Collingwood, G J Pratt, G R Breese, A Pratt, A M Blignaut, G D Bridge, N Killeen, G Onions, G J Muchall, L E Plunkett.

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