THE Durham board are to meet next Thursday to consider nine contracts which are up for renewal.

With a couple of players believed to be considering a move, the likelihood of relegation could complicate the issue.

With two games left Durham are now 22 points from safety after Derbyshire needed only five overs to complete a crushing 232-run victory yesterday.

Durham went into the last day in a hopeless position on 257 for six, still 243 runs away from a target of 500, and they lasted only 20 minutes as Kevin Dean and Tim Munton wrapped up Derbyshire's first win in any cricket since late June.

With Kent scraping to a 15-run victory against Hampshire, Durham are as good as doomed as they cannot realistically hope to avoid defeat in their final match at the Oval.

Despite beating Surrey in the opening match at the Riverside, the champions will be a totally different proposition on their home pitch with Saqlain Mushtaq in their ranks.

Durham have to face two of the world's best three spinners in their last two matches, with Shane Warne due at the Riverside next week.

Among those who have yet to reach agreement about next season is Michael Gough, who has been approached by two southern counties.

But there is not expected to be much difficulty in persuading the England A player to stay as he is desperate to make his mark with his native county following a frustrating season.

Durham's only realistic hope of salvaging something yesterday was for rain to arrive in Derby but the County Ground was bathed in sunshine when play began.

Dean struck with the first ball of the second over when he bowled John Wood for ten with no addition to the total.

Andrew Pratt edged Munton to the third man boundary but in the same over he was caught behind for 21, then Dean took his ninth wicket of the game when he pinned Melvyn Betts lbw as he played half forward.

Munton sealed victory with the last ball of the day's fifth over when he beat Steve Harmison's defensive prod.

The 15 points Derbyshire took from the game left them eight points behind Durham and they are still in negotiation with Lord's to try to recover the eight points they were docked for a 'poor' pitch against Surrey in early June.

l Ashley Giles is in danger of missing yet another England call-up with an untimely recurrence of his long-standing Achilles problem threatening his selection for the final Test against West Indies at The Oval. The Warwickshire left-arm spinner, who is hopeful of being fit enough to play in today's NatWest Trophy Final against Gloucestershire, is in prime position to take the spinner's role at a ground which traditionally favours spin.

He has taken 52 County Championship wickets this season at an impressive average of 23.07 and even begun to fulfil his potential with the bat, averaging 40.36 from his 14 innings.

But, not for the first time, the recurrence of a problem which has plagued him for two years has put his inclusion in the final Test squad in jeopardy.

''Ashley's Achilles problem is a concern,'' admitted chairman of selectors David Graveney.