By Jon Steer
September 8 2003

Steve Harmison looked in great form as he took the final two wickets to finish off South Africas second innings. Yesterday he made an important breakthroughs removing in form Gary Kirsten and Jacque Kallis in successive overs. With Durham needing to win the last two Championship matches of the season to have a realistic chance of promotion, Harmison's good form for England will be a welcome boost.

Harmison should return to the Durham squad alongside Shoaib Akhtar for the final two games of the season, giving us a formidable bowling attack. With Love and Collingwood both available as well this will be the first time this season that we will have our first choice squad.

The race for promotion is going to be very close with the four contenders playing having to play each other or the leaders over the next two weeks.

Durham look like the outsiders at the moment following the disappointing loss at Northampton but two wins against promotion rivals Gloucs and Glamorgan will leave only Yorkshire to get past and they have to play leaders Worcestershire this week.