Atherton returns from England duty as Lancashire attempt to sort out the batting problems which have plagued them all season.

But there is no place for either of the so-called one-day specialists, Austin and Lloyd, as Lancashire give a debut to Tim Roberts, the young batsman who has joined them from Northamptonshire.

Coach Bob Simpson explained simply: "The squad has been picked from the players in the best form."

Glen Chapple and Joe Scuderi also return to the squad, but there is no place for Mark Chilton or Ryan Driver.

Roberts is the surprise inclusion, but he has been in impressive form for the second team and was tipped as a possible England player by Lancashire old boy Phil DeFreitas after a recent century against Leicestershire.

Lancashire need a win after taking only two points, from a wash-out against Hampshire, from their opening two matches, leaving them off the pace as they aim to bounce straight back to the First Division of the Norwich Union National League.

And they will also be looking for revenge after Durham effectively knocked them out of the Benson and Hedges Cup with their win at Aigburth - the first time they had beaten Lancashire in any cricket since their very first game, at Durham University way back in 1992.

Andy Flintoff will have extra motivation as he comes up against Paul Collingwood - the young Durham all-rounder who took his place in England's one-day squad yesterday.

Lancs (from): Atherton, Crawley, Roberts, Flintoff, Fairbrother, Scuderi, Schofield, Hegg, Chapple, Martin, Wood, Muralitharan.