THE North-east is a wonderful hot-bed of sporting passion and this year, 11 years after their first season as a first-class county, Durham host their first Test match.

What this means for Worcestershire is that their match will start this week at Stockton, not The Riverside.

The groundsman there is being given all possible time to prepare a Test match wicket on a square which has certainly not settled yet to favour the batsmen. Durham mustered just 21 batting points last year.

As a county Durham are yet to settle either. There is much promise in the young batsmen Peng, Pratt and Muchall; Harmison can bowl a fast ball, but it has added up to little so far.

Up the road, Sir Bobby Robson thinks his Newcastle United side are still young and need more time; no doubt Martyn Moxon thinks the same of his charges.

Robson does have Alan Shearer, though, to muscle, carve and con his way to goals and points.

I'm not sure that Vince Wells, imported this winter form Leicestershire, will bring the same hard-nosed qualities to Durham's callow line up.

Worcestershire have a more seasoned look to them, though they are not firing on all cylinders yet and find themselves down in the basement with Durham at this admittedly early stage of the season.

So Ben Smith's side need to establish their seniority in this contest and put a first win on the board especially with the greater premium which has been put on wins this year with 14 points on offer.

So bowling a side out twice is the requirement and the question of how much last year's second highest wicket taker, Alamgir Sheriyar, will be missed is in people's minds.

As a swing bowler he was at home at New Road and he leaves an attack in which Kabir Ali will be the principal 'swinger'.

Stockton tends to be a swingers' ground with the ball skidding through brisk and low.

How well this will suit the height and bounce of Matt Mason or Mark Harrity remains to be seen, but Nantie Hayward has already shown the ability to take wickets on a New Road surface which has offered only grudging help to the seamers.

Dewald Pretorius is Durham's young South African quick and no doubt he will be out to win a personal battle with Hayward.

His one Test wicket has cost him 132 runs, but 152 first class wickets at an average of 23 suggest someone with more than just pace.

Meanwhile, Javagal Srinath continues to deputise for Martin Love, giving Durham a blend of youth and experience in their bowling if not their batting, where Paul Collingwood's shoulder injury deprives Durham of further proven talent.

I hope Durham's first Test match goes well, but the Stockton game is one which Worcestershire need to win to kick-start their campaign.