PETER SIDDLE is set to go straight into the Durham side for the County Championship game against Essex that starts this morning.

Australian Test veteran Siddle has been signed as a replacement for his fellow countryman, Scott Boland, who sustained a foot injury on his Durham debut earlier this month.

Siddle has been named in Durham’s 14-man squad for today’s game, which will hopefully see the North-Easterners in action at Chester-le-Street for the first time this season after their opening fixture against Hampshire was abandoned without a ball being bowled.

Brydon Carse is back in the squad after being rested during last week’s impressive 185-run over Worcestershire, but Bas de Leede drops out after suffering a minor knee injury at Kidderminster. The seamer should have recovered in time for the game against Hampshire that starts on May 10.

“We’re devastated for Scott Boland because he was going to be a great signing for us,” said Durham head coach Ryan Campbell. “Everyone looked forward to him taking millions of wickets.

“Once we knew the extent of the injury, I immediately got onto Marcus North and he came up with a list. We felt that Peter Siddle has done it all before, he understands the county game, a total professional who will work to keep himself in shape and to get him here straight away is really important for us.”

Siddle has previously spent time with today’s opponents, Essex, who currently top the County Championship table after winning two of their opening three matches.

Durham are fifth, 19 points adrift of their opponents, and Campbell is anticipating a stern examination as his side look to build on last week’s emphatic victory.

“Essex are the number one team in the country at the moment,” he said. “They’re the benchmark. Everyone can talk about Surrey and how good they are, but you look at the ladder and Essex are top.

“For us, it's a great challenge and, as a coach, I love these games because it puts us up against the best team and we want to be the best.

“They have a very stable, very good bowling attack. They’re one of the rare teams that are able to roll out the same four bowlers every week - Jamie Porter, Simon Harmer, Sam Cook and the old Dutchman Shane Snater has been awesome for them. Our batters are going to be tested, but I’m confident our batters can absorb the pressure and give it back to them in spadefuls.”