WITH Mark Wood ruled out, Durham have added Brydon Carse to their squad for the final home match of the season against Sussex, starting tomorrow.

Despite pre-season hopes of making a big impact, the South Africa-born paceman's only previous appearance was in the second match at Bristol.

Although he has developed his batting in the second team, scoring a century, a series of injuries has limited his bowling.

He is not alone and of the nine seamers on the staff with Championship experience only Chris Rushworth has featured in more than eight four-day games.

Usman Arshad, who was injured pre-season, has not appeared in any, raising doubts about his future, which may hinge on whether Paul Coughlin stays.

Along with Keaton Jennings, Coughlin has a get-out clause in the contract he signed last year saying he could leave if Durham did not achieve promotion.

That was always unlikely given their 48-point deficit, plus the departure of two key players, and one of the counties courting them, Warwickshire, will be in Division Two next season.

Both players have other suitors, however, and the fact that they have been given one-day captaincy duties by Durham might not be enough to persuade them to stay.

Coughlin managed eight Championship matches, two more than last year, before a side strain ended his season and only Rushworth, with 40, has taken more than his 27 wickets.

This is a disappointing statistic for an attack which was expected to prosper in the Second Division, and that includes off-spinner Ryan Pringle, who has taken 11 wickets at 48.9.

As he didn't bowl in the last match against Kent, there might be a case for him standing down tomorrow to allow Jack Burnham to return.

The Esh Winning youngster, who suffered an untimely injury with his broken thumb, has not progressed as hoped with 208 runs at 29.7 in his six appearances. But he is still considered a fine prospect and needs more experience.

Carse gets his chance because Wood has not fully recovered from the recurrence of his bruised heel, which prevented him from completing the match against Kent. He hopes to play in the final match at Worcester next week.

Barry McCarthy, one who has made good strides this season, is still not ready after the broken thumb he suffered on Ireland duty, so James Weighell can add to his three appearances, giving him one more than last season.

Sussex are without captain and wicketkeeper Ben Brown because of back trouble and will be led for the first time by left-hander opener Luke Wells, whose father, Alan, captained the county from 1991-96.

Wells scored a career-best 258 not out when Sussex beat Durham by an innings and 177 runs at Hove in May, but they have since faded badly and lost at home to Derbyshire last week.

Chris Jordan returns after playing for England in Saturday's T20 international at Emirates Riverside, which was marred by injuries to spectators resulting from a hole appearing in the stand built for the 2103 Ashes Test.

The stand, which is hardly used for Durham games, will be closed while investigations continue. But Durham reassured fans earlier today that the game will go ahead, with a 10.30 start.