AS Durham look to cut their costs they will not be too alarmed about Gordon Muchall's decision to retire at the end of the season. But they are starting to field worrying approaches for their top batsmen.

Wealthier counties have been alerted by the fact that Scott Borthwick and Mark Stoneman are among several players out of contract at the end of the season.

Nottinghamshire have admitted an interest in both, registering the required 28-day notice of their intention to speak to the players.

As Durham's one-day captain, Stoneman has been groomed to take over from Paul Collingwood, whose future remains uncertain. He had intended to retire after the 2014 season but is still going strong at 40.

Muchall announced yesterday that he is to take up a post at Durham City's Bow School at the end of the season, ending his 15-year career with Durham.

The 33-year-old batsman pressed his claim for a return to Durham's championship side by making 70 in the rain-ruined match against Sri Lanka A, in which no play was possible on the final day.

He said: “I've been helping out at Bow for the last few winters and now a job opportunity has come up. It's not the worst time to get stuck into something else.

“I've had 15 good years with Durham. I feel in good form and if the opportunity comes up I would love to play some more four-day cricket before the end of the season.”

If Collingwood misses the Specsavers County Championship match at home to bottom club Hampshire, starting on Sunday, because of his fractured thumb, the vacany could be filled by Muchall or Ben Stokes.

Durham are awaiting a decision from the ECB on whether Stokes can play as a batsman as he continues his rehabilitation from a knee operation.

After returning in the NatWest T20 Blast match against Yorkshire last Friday, when he was out for five, his is again in the squad for tonight's match at home to Worcestershire.

Durham are likely to be unchanged, with Paul Coughlin declared fully fit despite not bowling on the third day against Sri Lanka.

Worcestershire have won the last four T20 meetings between the sides and will be bolstered by South African paceman Kyle Abbot making his debut.

Since playing against England during the winter he has appeared in the Indian Premier League and in the recent tri-series in the Caribbean, which also involved Australia.

In the opening match of the current T20 campaign Durham lost by 38 runs at Worcester after conceding record team and individual scores. Tom Kohler-Cadmore hit seven sixes in his 127 out of a total of 225 for six.

Chris Rushworth was injured at the time, but has since become easily the competition's most economical bowler with figures of six for 40 in 11 overs.

With three wins from seven Durham are sixth out of nine in the north group, two places below their visitors, who slipped to their lowest T20 total of 53 in their last match against Lancashire.

They have already won a 22-over contest at Emirates Riverside when the Royal London Cup meeting was reduced by rain three weeks ago.

Durham were all out for 90, and although Rushworth took three early wickets Brett D'Oliveira and Alexei Kervezee saw Worcestershire home with 2.5 overs to spare.