Cook eager to end on a high; Champions want to finish league season unbeaten.

THE team already confirmed as clear winners of this season's County Championship meet the side long since consigned to bottom place at New Road this morning but Geoff Cook has reminded Durham they still have plenty to play for, writes STUART RAYNER.

For the three years he has been in charge of the Riversiders, Cook has consistently measured his team's progress by the standards they aspire to, rather than the trophies lifted in each campaign.

And he pointed to the large following the champions will have in Worcester today, and the title defence he is already planning, as further reasons to ensure those standards are maintained.

Cook (pictured right) is expecting a reasonable away contingent at one of the most picturesque grounds on the circuit, and believes they will make his job easier. "I'm sure there will be quite a few spectators from Durham at the game," said Cook.

"The players won't want to let them down. With that, and it being the last game of the season, it's so important the players finish on a high."

It is typical that as soon as the champagne corks were popped on this championship at the Riverside, the talk was already of a third successive title next summer. Cook believes this performance will have a bearing on their chances. "To finish the season strongly is a great psychological boost to any cricketer," said the former England opener.

"If you finish strongly and the memories are good, it means a lot when you begin pre-season the next summer.

"Standards have been set and it's up to everybody within the club to work to maintain them."

Twenty-two-year-old fast bowler Luke Evans has travelled with the squad and although the 6ft 7in Wearsider is unlikely to make his Championship debut, it gives him a rare opportunity to sample the first-team dressing room. But the winning mentality which is such a strong part of it will already be well ingrained, says Cook. "All of the professional staff and the academy players integrate a lot," he said.

"So when people make it into the first team they already know what to expect." The previous game at Hampshire provided Durham with an opportunity to blood teenage leg-spinner Scott Borthwick on a turning pitch, but he may not get a second Championship appearance in the next four days against a side desperate to record their first win this season. "I'm sure they will be looking for their first (fourday) win of the season so I'm not expecting the pitch to give too much assistance to the spinners," said Cook.

With Callum Thorp not having travelled due to his ongoing in injury problems, Australian Mitchell Claydon stands by to return if Borthwick is left out.

Unless Warwickshire can pick up 12 more points than Durham in this round of matches (they face travel to Lancashire), the Riversiders will break Surrey's record for the biggest winning points margin since the competition spilt into two divisions in 2000.

DURHAM (from): Coetzer, Di Venuto, Smith (c), Chanderpaul, Benkenstein, Blackwell, Mustard (wk), Plunkett, Borthwick, Davies, S Harmison, Claydon, Evans.