A Durham Dynasty

I use the word danger out of context of course. It could never be dangerous to be cricket's equivalent to Manchester United, not unless less you are adverse to years of trophy success, the highest profile in your particular sport and a turnover of hundreds of millions of pounds each year.

What I mean is, Durham appear to be head and shoulders above the rest of the counties in four day cricket and should they, as expected, lift the trophy for the second time in as many years, it will be as comfortable a victory as there has been since the championship was split into two divisions.

They have not lost a game all season and had it not been for poor weather or ridiculously flat batting tracks would have turned at least two of their six draws into victories.

With better luck, they would also have reached their second successive Twenty20 Finals day and they remain an encouraging work in progress in one day cricket following the Friends Provident triumph of 2007.

Their dominance in the Championship has been almost absolute, highlighted by the fact they have already beaten this week's opponents and closest rivals Nottinghamshire this summer by an innings and 102 runs and have enjoyed the better of both their drawn matches against third-placed Somerset.

If you're looking for a team to be proud of in the North East you could point to the Newcastle Eagles basketball team who have collected trophies like bees collect pollen under Fabulous Flournoy.

But there is something romantic about Durham, a fairytale rags to riches story which has seen the former whipping boys on the county circuit transform themselves into the dominant force in domestic cricket over the last three years.

If Durham - under new captain Will Smith - draw with Notts and collect 11 points they will be crowned county champions once again and few would expect them to relinquish that title in 2010.

It says much about the demanding environment they play in, however, that their main target now is to finish the season unbeaten given the title is theirs to throw away.

If anything, this side will only get stronger. Stephen Harmison's England career is coming to an end and he should be available for all of the 2010 season even if Graham Onions maintains his international status over the winter.

Young players like Mark Stoneman, Kyle Coetzer, Scott Borthwick, Ben Harmison, Mitchell Claydon and Will Gidman will be better off for the experience they have gained over the last 12 months, while the old stalwarts Harmison, Michael Di Venuto, Dale Benkenstein, Ian Blackwell and Callum Thorp have plenty of gas left in the tank despite their advancing years.

Smith will be a better captain after this year's trials and tribulations and if my sources are correct, Durham will have an overseas player on board for the whole summer with former skipper Mike Hussey and Marcus North the two favourites to replace Shivnarine Chanderpaul whose international commitments with the West Indies are an ongoing problem.

It is a scary thought for the rest of English cricket....