TWO former Durham captains will be plotting their old club's downfall over the next four days as they launch a belated attempt to keep Hampshire in division one.

After securing promotion in his first season as coach, Dale Benkenstein has been let down by all his batsmen bar Will Smith as Hampshire have been cast 26 points adrift at the foot of the table.

Of those who have played in more than two games, Smith tops Hampshire's averages with 536 runs at 35.73, while people like Michael Carberry, Jimmy Adams and James Vince have all under-achieved.

Vince's average of 19.47 will be a particular disappointment to Benkenstein, whose position could be under threat given chairman Rod Bansgrove's thirst for success.

Starting at the Ageas Bowl tomorrow, the sides meet twice in the final six championship games with Durham looking to put two successive defeats behind them.

For the third successive season Scott Borthwick (766) and Mark Stoneman (739) are engaged in a race to be the first to 1,000 championship runs.

For the rest the visit to the bottom club should present a chance to regain some form against an attack which has recently featured 18-year-old South African seamer Brad Wheal.

A British passport holder, he was brought in by Benkenstein, who also signed Yorkshire's Moin Ashraf on loan this week.

The overseas player, Australian paceman Jackson Bird, played the last of his three Tests at Chester-le-Street two years ago. He has not set the world alight in his first four games.

The leading wicket-taker is ex-Middlesex all-rounder Gareth Berg with 28, while for Durham Chris Rushworth has 55, John Hastings 37 and Graham Onions 32.

With their title hopes all but over after four defeat, given that unbeaten Yorkshire are unlikely to slip up, Durham will consider a first-class debut for Graham Clark.

Durham (from): P D Collingwood (capt), M D Stoneman, K K Jennings, S G Borthwick, M J Richardson, G J Muchall, G Clark, R D Pringle, J W Hastings, J Harrison, C Rushworth, G Onions.