WORCESTERSHIRE will have to overcome a strong Durham side at the Riverside today (10.45) if they are to keep their Friends Provident Trophy semi-final hopes alive.

The Dynamos will be reinvigorated by the return of their England pace bowlers Steve Harmison and Liam Pl-unkett, while recently signed New Zealand all-rounder Scott Styris is also likely to figure.

The Royals are still without experienced seam bowler Matt Mason (shoulder) and side strain victim Roger Sillence, but left-armer Doug Bollinger is in line to continue his return to fitness.

County director of cricket Steve Rhodes said: "Matt's injury is still not quite right -we are doing day-by-day assessments on him.

"As soon as he is ready, he'll play for the seconds, but we don't really know how long he'll be out for yet. It's been the same for three weeks now, so we'll continue to monitor him.

"Roger has picked up a similar injury to the one Doug Bollinger had, so hopefully he will be out for just three weeks.

"Doug has come on in terms of fitness from the Sussex game and he'll continue to build up his match sharpness."

Sixth-placed Worcestershire need a win to give them a realistic hope of making a top-two spot but will face a tough test at third-placed Durham.

Loan signing Kyle Hogg will go straight into the Royals' team and Moeen Ali is also in the squad.

But Rhodes will decide this morning whether to give the former Warwickshire batsman his debut for Worcester-shire.

Worcestershire (from): Solanki, Jaques, Moeen Ali, Smith, Hick, Davies, Batty, Hogg, Kabir Ali, Price, Bollinger, Moore.

Durham (from): Benkenstein, Breese, Coetzer, Davies, Di Venuto, Gibson, Harmisom, Killeen, Mustard, Onions, Park, Plunkett, Smith, Styris.