DURHAM desperately need their outground gamble to succeed today, otherwise they will face the danger of having nothing at stake in their three other home matches in the Royal London Cup.

After hosting Warwickshire at South Northumberland CC they have to visit Hove and Cardiff next week and need to win at least two out of three after starting with two defeats.

Durham have agreed to take a match away from Chester-le-Street for the first time since 2006 to help celebrate the Gosforth- based club’s 150th anniversary.

The only other game Durham have played north of the Tyne was a 1992 Benson and Hedges Cup tie against Derbyshire at Jesmond.

John Morris scored a century for the visitors and twice chipped David Graveney over the short boundary into the adjoining cemetery in the Durham captain’s only over.

Bowling spin could also be a gamble today, but with Warwickshire’s pace ranks depleted they might be forced to continue with their policy of playing three spinners, which has helped them win their first two games.

Durham will not be following suit as they have left Ryan Pringle out of their squad, but they would be reluctant to leave out Scott Borthwick, even though he didn’t bat in Tuesday’s defeat at Canterbury and bowled only one over.

South Northumberland was formed as Bulman’s Village Cricket Club in 1864 and moved to the current ground the following year.

Warwickshire thrashed Durham in the championship at Riverside this month, but paceman Chris Wright was injured in that match and has not appeared since, while his new ball partner Keith Barker has also missed the two 50-over games.

Chris Woakes and Ian Bell are on England duty, skipper Jim Troughton is still out with his back problem and Jonathan Trott is doubtful after suffering a dead leg during Tuesday’s 118-run win against Sussex.

Durham (from): M D Stoneman (capt), P Mustard, C S MacLeod, B A Stokes, S G Borthwick, G J Muchall, P D Collingwood, G R Breese, K K Jennings, J W Hastings, G Onions, C Rushworth