MARK WOOD returns to the Durham side for tomorrow’s County Championship match with Warwickshire, with the England paceman’s presence providing a timely boost as James Franklin’s side attempt to secure their first win of the season.

Wood, who blew away some cobwebs with an outing for North-East Premier League side Ashington last weekend, will make his first Durham appearance of the year as he steps up his preparations for England’s opening Test of the summer against New Zealand in June.

He has not turned out for his home county in the County Championship since September 2018, when he claimed eight wickets in the match as Durham took on Middlesex at Emirates Riverside.

“It’s great news to have Mark back in the squad,” said Franklin. “It has been a short while since he played a first (XI) game for Durham. Liam Trevaskis is also named in the squad for the first time this summer, he has had a couple of good weeks with the second team with both bat and ball, so it is reward for him to be involved.”

As well as Traviskis featuring, after taking eight wickets for Durham’s seconds in their last two matches and also scoring an unbeaten 73 against Derbyshire at South Northumberland, Brydon Carse also returns to Durham’s 13-man squad after having missed out on last week’s draw against Derbyshire with an ankle niggle.

Matt Salisbury misses out, having played in Durham’s first three County Championship matches of the season, while Matthew Potts is also omitted from the squad. Alex Thomson is not included in the 13 as he is unable to face his parent club, Warwickshire.