PHIL Mustard won the toss and decided to bowl in the top-of-the-table County Championship game with Lancashire at Chester-le-Street.

The Red Rose county have been the surprise early leaders of this season's Championship. Durham are only three points behind in second place, but have played a game more.

Conditions were overcast with rain lurking as the captains tossed up. The pitch is way across to the pavilion side of the ground, and looks straw-coloured. Typically, for modern sport, the players have been moved to accommodate Sky television.

Graham Onions replaced Stephen Harmison in the Durham team. Harmison strained his back in the crushing victory at Warwickshire, a match the England set-up told Onions he could not play in, because he needed a rest after turning out for their reserve team against Sri Lanka the previous week.

Ominously for Durham, England selector James Whittaker was in the Chester-le-Street Press box, pondering who should replace the injured James Anderson.

Luke Procter and Glenn Chapple were in the Lancashire side, with Sajid Mahmood and Oliver Newby not involved.

Liam Plunkett was back in the Riversiders' squad and although his return to the side will have to wait a little longer, the signs are promising for his involvement in next month's Twenty20 Cup. 

DURHAM: Di Venuto, Smith, Muchall, Stokes, Benkenstein, Blackwell, Mustard (c, wk), Borthwick, Thorp, Claydon, Onions.

LANCASHIRE: Horton, Moore, Brown, Chilton, Croft, Smith (wk), Luke Procter, Hogg, Chapple (c), Keedy, Newby.

Umpires: Martin Bodenham and Jeremy Lloyds.