DURHAM expect to hear today that Ben Stokes and Mark Wood will be available for the last two games.

Yorkshire also hope to be able to call on Liam Plunkett, David Willey and Adil Rashid, although it would be tough to leave out any of the current seamers.

There was much interest elsewhere yesterday for the Headingley combatants in their battles at either end of the table.

Yorkshire narrowed the gap at the top to one point by taking four batting points, while leaders Middlesex managed only one against Nottinghamshire, although they achieved parity and could still win the game.

Durham will be looking anxiously over their shoulder at Hampshire, who are putting up a good fight against Surrey. But Paul Collingwood's men can move above Warwickshire if they hold out for a draw at Headingley.

The highly-fancied Midlanders have become the latest to suffer on a Taunton turner. As against Durham, when they got away with it, Somerset are running the risk of a points deduction by preparing a pitch taking excessive turn.

While debutant off-spinner Dominic Bess has taken eight wickets in the match, Jack Leach had five for 11 when Warwickshire were 61 for eight yesterday. They closed on 131 for eight, still 52 behind.

Paul Coughlin yesterday became the fifth player to score a double century for Durham seconds, his 231 falling seven short of the record set by Mike Roseberry at Cardiff in 1998. Gary Pratt, Kyle Coetzer and Keaton Jennings have also reached the landmark.

When Coughlin was run out Durham were all out for 504, to which Middlesex replied with 194 for eight in the Second X1 Championship final, Usman Arshad taking four wickets.