BASEMENT boys Worcestershire head to reigning county champions Durham with a weakened side tomorrow (11am).

Skipper Vikram Solanki, opener Stephen Moore and wicketkeeper Steve Davies will all be with the England Lions team that faces Australia at New Road tomorrow.

But with the talented trio ruled out, director of cricket Steve Rhodes has had to turn to his second XI for this LV County Championship Division One match.

Dutch international Alexei Kervezee and batsman Dave Wheeldon have been called up, while wicketkeeper Josh Knappett will play only his second Championship match in five years — and his first behind the stumps.

Durham too, will be without Lions players Paul Collingwood, Stephen Harmison and Graham Onions, but the Chester-le-Street outfit do have a greater strength in depth than Worcestershire and have called up Ben Harmison and Luke Plunkett.

“It’s very mixed feelings for us,” said Rhodes. “We are delighted for the boys going to play for the Lions against Australia, but it hurts us as an outfit as we are desperate for Championship points.

“To be without three key players is going to be tough, but they are without two of their front-line bowlers so it will equal itself out.

“What it does mean is that there is a great opportunity for Alexei, Dave and Josh.

“This maybe Josh’s first time behind the stumps in a Championship match but I have a great deal of confidence in him.”

Rhodes also insisted that strike bowler Kabir Ali will be fit for today’s clash at Chester-le-Street.

The 28-year-old was forced to sit out of Worcestershire’s final Twenty20 Cup match at Northamptonshire on Sunday with a chest problem.

“Kabby is fine,” Rhodes said. “He had a bit of a chest infection, but he has seen the doctor and I’m confident he will come through it and play today.”

Gareth Batty will captain the side in the absence of Solanki and is calling on the players to try and fill the void left by the trio.

“It’s impossible to get like-for-like when you lose quality players like Vik, Davo and Moorey,” Batty said. “But we have to go there and give everything, play some good solid cricket for every single minute of the match.”

Durham (from): Coetzer, di Venuto, Smith (capt), Muchall, Benkenstein, Mustard (wkt), B Harmison, Plunkett, Thorp, Davies, Claydon Worcestershire (from): Mitchell, Kervezee, Moeen, Smith, Wheeldon, Knappett (wkt), Noffke, Batty (capt), Kabir, Whelan, Mason, Fisher.