DURHAM'S Stephen Harmison, awarded a central England contract yesterday, will hope for a livelier pitch to bowl on if he plays in the inaugural Test at Riverside next month.

On the opening day of championship action at the Chester-le-Street ground yesterday, the 24-year-old paceman struggled with the rest of Durham's Test trio to make any impression on the bland surface.

But the back-up bowlers, led by Danny Law, did the job as the visitors slipped from 194 for three to 243 for eight before Jack Russell steered them to 285 for nine at the close.

After winning the toss, the Gloucestershire batsmen were happy to chug along, scoring at fewer than three runs per over.

Harmison was very economical, conceding only 33 runs in his 22 overs, but Durham are unlikely to get that sort of workload out of him again as he will be protected by the England hierarchy.

They have yet to indicate his future availability to Durham, but after playing in five Tests Harmison has developed a taste for life at the top level and said: "I'm delighted that all my hard work has paid off.

"I would love to open the bowling for England on the first Test match at this ground next month, and I also hope to establish myself as an England one-day player."

He had to wait until his 19th over for his only wicket yesterday, bowling Jonathan Lewis off his pads six overs before the close.

On a day when Durham had high hopes of their three international pacemen, Danny Law proved the pick of the bowlers.

After not bowling at all in last week's defeat at Taunton, Law had figures of three for 30 from his 18 overs.

Javagal Srinath struck in the fourth over, when he swung one in to have the dangerous Craig Spearman lbw for four, but in later spells he seemed resigned to containment as he could extract nothing from the pitch.

Dewald Pretorius' desire to attack on his home debut backfired as he came under early attack from Phil Weston when coming on for the 13th over.

In the South African's fourth over Weston drove him three times to the off-side boundary and two overs later he pulled Pretorius behind square for six.

The Durham-born left-hander, who made the switch from Worcestershire during the winter, has rarely scored runs against his native county. This time he got to 40 off 68 balls before driving a slower ball from Law to cover.

Even though the diminutive Chris Taylor cannot currently get into the Gloucestershire team, the 6ft 3in Weston must feel like Snow White alongside his new teammates.

New overseas signing Jonty Rhodes fits in well at 5ft 7in, and all apart from Weston could duck easily under Harmison's bouncers.

Weston was lucky early on when he took evasive action but left his bat in the air and edged over the slips.

The rest of his six fours were crisply struck and he proved the most entertaining batsman on a day when the dwarves went to work with barely a whistle.

Even Rhodes took 105 balls to reach 50, of which the highlight was a six whipped from around off stump off Srinath to clear the boundary behind square leg.

His downfall came when he tried a similar shot off Pretorius. It was from leg stump this time and the ball looked more deserving of the treatment, but Rhodes skied it towards fine leg and Andrew Pratt ran back 15 yards to take a fine catch.

There was also a half-century for Tim Hancock, although he rarely looked secure. Law amost had him from an inside edge on 15 and again on 26, when he tried to withdraw his bat and almost played on. He also looked fortunate to survive a run-out on 17, when Gary Pratt swooped from cover and hit the stumps.

Hancock finally went for 59 when he pushed forward and edged Law to Andrew Pratt, bringing in the 5ft 7in Matt Windows.

Neil Killeen was the unlucky one left out to accommodate Pretorius, and the introduction of off-spinner Nicky Phillips at 159 for three after 53 overs was welcomed by Windows.

He twice drove Phillips to long-on, the second time clearing the rope to disturb the workmen constructing the leisure centre which is helping to pay for the 2,000 permanent seats being installed in the opposite corner.

Windows moved pleasantly to 44 before he drove at Vince Wells and sliced to Gary Pratt at point, which was a careless way to go shortly after skipper Mark Alleyne was lbw to Law on the back foot.

Law took only four championship wickets in five appearances last season and was unlucky not to match that total yesterday as he looked to have Russell lbw for two when offering no stroke.

Law generally kept the ball well up and bowled straight, and there was a bonus for Durham when Phillips struck with two wickets in two balls.

He went round the wicket to left-hander Ian Fisher and had him lbw, then Roger Sillence pushed too firmly at the next ball and got an inside edge into his leg stump.

Lewis had made only one when he drove Phillips for a straight six, prompting the return of Harmison and Srinath.

Russell survived two sharp chances to second slip and gully off Srinath but did a fine job of protecting last man Mike Smith and remained unbeaten on 31.

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