Braced and bracing

Mark Davies, arguably the most successful seam bowler in the country, will be wearing a brace to protect his lower back when he celebrates his 25th birthday on October 4. He will wear it until Christmas in the hope of curing the stress fracture which ended his summer prematurely, for the second year running.

Last season he was forced out after taking 50 Championship wickets in 10 matches, at an average of under 19. A wicket came every 36 deliveries, the best strike-rate in the country by a regular bowler. This season brought 47 victims at less than 16 and with a strike-rate of 34 - extraordinary figures.

"We've tried to shield him by leaving him out of the Twenty20 and some one-day games," says Martyn Moxon, the coach, "but it hasn't worked out. It's a big disappointment in what has been a great season for us but we have to count our blessings.

"We had Steve Harmison for the first four games, which got us off to an excellent start, and we've seen a lot more of Paul Collingwood than usual. He came up trumps with some really big innings. The youngsters have come on under the experience of Mike Hussey and Dale Benkenstein and we've achieved our main objectives."

The excellent Hussey will be back to lead the side next year and Moxon's major goal is to persuade Mick Lewis, the Aussie seamer, to return to the Riverside, where his clever variations have made a huge impression.

Moment of the month Knowing promotion was within reach.