SCOTT BORTHWICK is hoping for plenty of bowling when Durham begin their season with a three-day match against Durham University, starting at the Emirates ICG today.

A year ago he was the man in possession of the England spin bowling spot; now he has slipped behind the country's only other serious leg-spinner, Yorkshire's Adil Rashid.

“I take heart from what Adil and Graeme Swann went through,” said Borthwick. “You get chucked in at an early age and it doesn't always go to plan.

“Swann didn't get back into the England side until his late 20s and Rashid has been through something similar. He learned about himself and that's where I am at the moment. I'm still only 24.”

In his one Test in the final match of last winter's Ashes debacle, Borthwick took three for 33 in the second innings.

“I managed to burgle a few wickets,” he said. “It was a great experience and it's something I want to repeat, but last season my bowling didn't really click.

“The selectors want me to get my bowling right. I want to keep learning and, most importantly, taking wickets.”

Two years ago Borthwick was a No 8 batsman, but since taking over what was previously the problem position at three he has twice been first to 1,000 runs.

In the championship last season he topped the Durham averages with 1,137 runs at 43.73, but he took only 13wickets at 58.61.

“I took some time off over the winter because I'd been playing pretty much non-stop for five years,” he said. “It was good to rest body and mind and allow a couple of finger injuries to settle.

“Then I went to Sri Lanka for nine weeks and played seven or eight first-class games for Chillau. Playing in those conditions, where pitches offer turn and bounce, was a massive challenge. The Sri Lankans have such an attacking mentality, they wouldn't think twice about running down the pitch to whack your first ball back over your head.

“You just can't bowl bad balls and when batting you have to find a way to score against the spinners, otherwise they will get you out.”

Following the release of Gareth Breese, Borthwick is well aware that he may be called on to bowl more in one-day cricket.

“Gareth will be a massive miss,” he said. “It opens the door for me and Ryan Pringle and being the frontline spinner in one-day cricket is something I've always wanted to do.

“I feel I am at that level now. There's not a huge difference in adapting from four-day cricket for a leg spinner because nine times out of ten your best ball is your best ball in any form of the game.

“You have to find a way to change the pace or the line and length if people come after you, but I'm always looking to bowl a big-spinning leg break pitching on middle stump.

“Finger injuries didn't help last season and I probably lacked rhythm. But I feel I'm back on track now and just want to start the season well.”

Pringle is also in today's squad, along with fellow all-rounders Usman Arshad and Paul Coughlin, although it is likely only one of the trio will play.

Calum MacLeod has been preferred to Gordon Muchall, who could be back in the same position as a year ago, when he expected to play only one-day cricket.

Coach Jon Lewis said: “We want to win but there's also an element of practice about this game. In view of the tests ahead we need our bowlers to get some overs in and our batters to spend time at the crease.”

The students were involved in a rain-affected draw at Taunton last week, replying to Somerset's 354 for three with 129 for seven. Johann Myburgh, who was briefly with Durham three years ago, scored 150 for Somerset.

Durham (from): P D Collingwood (capt), M D Stoneman, K K Jennings, S G Borthwick, M J Richardson, C S MacLeod, P Mustard, J W Hastings, P Coughlin, G Onions, C Rushworth, U Arshad, R D Pringle.