DURHAM DYNAMOS V SURREY BROWN CAPS at the Riverside (FPT), 3 MAY 2009

Durham, like Surrey - but more astonishingly - are still searching for their first win of the new season. In their only Friends Provident Trophy outing to date the Dynamos lost to Yorkshire by 80 runs after winning the toss and electing to field; the Brown Caps therefore share something else with Durham. But that is probably where the similarities end, especially in the field. Surrey seem to save their worst fielding performances for the Sky Sports cameras. Last Sunday's effort at Bristol was obviously no exception, because even Messrs Atherton and Willis failed to criticise the Brown Caps for gifting Gloucestershire 10 wides and 2 no-balls. Perhaps they just felt sorry for us.

Last term, the Dynamos' most dependable batsman in List A cricket was Michael Di Venuto, who scored 533 runs at an average of 41.00. Dale Benkenstein, who delivered the goods against Yorkshire a fortnight ago, was consistent but unspectacular in 2008, but the arrival of Ian Blackwell should give Durham's batting line-up some much needed clout.

With the ball, Will Smith's men are capable of turning any team over. Stephen Harmison led the way last summer with 34 List A wickets at 18.38 runs apiece. Harmison's omission from the England squad for next week's First Test will almost certainly fire him up. The good news for Surrey on that front is that Graham Onions has caught the selectors' eyes and will probably be rested tomorrow. The Brown Caps will need to be wary of Mitchell Claydon, if he takes Onions's place. The 26-year-old seamer has not seen much action in one-day cricket for the Dynamos - or, for that matter with Yorkshire, when he was on their books - but the Aussie's List A record is not to be sniffed at.

Click here for the Surrey v Durham List A Records sheet at at the start of the 2009 season.

He's not in the Surrey squad but... James Benning, with 2,465, needs 35 more runs for 2,500 runs in List A cricket.

Surrey's thirteen-man squad for this weekend's trip north include nine of the eleven that sank to defeat against Gloucestershire plus Pedro Collins, Scott Newman and Stewart Walters. James Benning and Alex Tudor, who had figures of 8-0-50-0 last Sunday, are the two to miss out.

The weather forecast for tomorrow suggests this match will be decided on Duckworth-Lewis. After 11 successive one-day victories over Durham, Surrey have since gone on to lose three out of the last four List A meetings between the two sides. That's the sort of run that suggests the hosts will have things all their way tomorrow.

M Di Venuto, P Mustard (wk), G Muchall, W Smith (capt), D Benkenstein, I Blackwell, G Breese, L Plunkett, C Thorp, M Claydon and S Harmison.

Steve Garratt and Vanburn Holder.

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