DURHAM are hoping to pull off a thrilling coup by signing former Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara for an early part of the cricket season.
The 36-year-old left-hander, who hit an unbeaten 52 to lead Sri Lanka to victory in yesterday’s World Twenty20 Championship final, has expressed an interest in playing prior to Sri Lanka’s tour of England, which begins on June 6.
Sangakkara’s only previous experience of county cricket came when he played half a season for Warwickshire in 2007 and played one of the finest innings ever seen against Durham at Edgbaston on his debut.
On a green, seaming pitch, Warwickshire were 23 for four but Sangakkara opened up with a flurry of boundaries and went on to score 149.
Durham coach Jon Lewis said: “We are negotiating with him and he is interested in coming, but nothing has been decided yet.
“It’s doubtful he would be here in time for our first match at Northampton next Sunday, but hopefully we would have him for the next five, possibly six, championship games.”
The intention is for Sangakkara to play until Australian seam bowler John Hastings arrives in late May or early June.
Durham, meanwhile, are taking no chances with Mark Wood as they continue the build-up to their title defence in the three-day game against Durham University, starting at Chester-le-Street today.
The 24-year-old Ashington paceman has had an injection in his side after the problem which saw him sent home from the England Lions tour of Sri Lanka refused to clear up.
Wood missed the final month last season with a side strain and after being named in the England Performance squad he spent time doing strengthening work at Loughborough.
All seemed well when he took five for 32 against Sri Lanka Emerging Players in the first match of the tour and when the management decided to send him home afterwards it was reported to be merely a precaution.
He accompanied Durham to Abu Dhabi for the MCC v Champions match but wasn’t deemed fit to play and after missing this week’s game he is unlikely to be considered for the opening championship match, starting at Northampton on Sunday.
Wood made his first-class debut in the match against the university three years ago, the last time it was played at the Racecourse ground.
He took two wickets in the first innings but didn’t bowl in the second as Durham won by an innings and 44 runs following centuries by Ian Blackwell and Liam Plunkett.
The margin the following year was 373 runs after the students were dismissed for 18 in their second innings. But they made a better fist of it last season, when they held out for a draw.
Despite that, the one-sided nature of these contests was underlined by Durham making 244 for one declared in their second innings with centuries by Keaton Jennings and Will Smith.
Of the side fielded by Durham, Smith, Dale Benkenstein and Callum Thorp have gone and Ben Stokes is recovering from a broken wrist.
There will be a further opportunity this week for leftarmer Jamie Harrison to cement his place and Usman Arshad is likely to get the nod ahead of Sunderland’s Paul Coughlin for the seam bowling all-rounder’s slot.
Gareth Breese is in the squad after having to pull out of the trip to Abu Dhabi.
But as there will be no need for a second spinner in early season Gordon Muchall should have another chance to prove he can do a job at five or six in the order.
Durham (from): P D Collingwood (capt), M D Stoneman, K K Jennings, S G Borthwick, M A Richardson, G J Muchall, P Mustard, G R Breese, U Arshad, P Coughlin, G Onions, J Harrison, C Rushworth.
