DURHAM’S surge into a 17- point lead at the top of the County Championship was tarnished yesterday by the news that Ben Stokes will be out for six to eight weeks.

The blow will be cushioned by the return of Paul Collingwood, who has overcome his doubts about his readiness following his knee operation and will play in the Friends Life t20 opener at home to Warwickshire this evening (5.40).

Stokes’ finger injury has also solved the dilemma of how to fit Collingwood into the all-conquering four-day line-up when Durham return to Championship action at home to struggling Yorkshire on June 18.

Steve Harmison should have recovered by then from the back injury which kept him out against Lancashire, who were humbled by an innings and 125 runs after arriving at Chester-le-Street in top spot.

Stokes’ injury might also keep the door ajar for Collingwood in the England one-day team as there is no doubt the selectors had the powerful allrounder under consideration.

The right index finger he dislocated in the field on Tuesday evening has had to be pinned and there is also some ligament damage.

Stokes suffered the injury when trying to catch a fierce cut from Lancashire’s Paul Horton.

The powerfully-built lefthander has scored 609 championship runs this season at an average of 55.36 with three centuries.

He has also taken 17 wickets at 33 with his brisk seam bowling and became the first player to score 150 in a one-day match for Durham at Edgbaston 11 days ago.

Stokes also made two centuries last season and records suggest that the only other English batsman to have scored five first-class hundreds before his 20th birthday was Denis Compton.

Such is the power of his striking that he became only the second batsman to clear the Don Robson Pavilion on Tuesday, achieving the feat twice in his innings of 185.

Durham coach Geoff Cook said: “We have had a lot of conversations recently with the England selectors and coach about both Ben and Graham Onions.

“It’s a very sad blow for Ben because he had some real momentum.

He has shown a fantastic improvement in the last month, particularly in his mental approach. It’s no coincidence that as his bowling improved, so did his batting, because it helped his confidence in making contributions.

“He’s young enough to get over it quickly and I’m sure he’ll pick up where he left off because he has such natural talent. But it would have been interesting to watch him in the Twenty20 and we were looking forward to him batting at No 3.”

The South African David Miller could now be pushed higher up the order after being earmarked to bat at number five and he said yesterday: “I’m happy to bat anywhere.

I’m used to the middle order but if they wanted me to open I’d be glad to take up the challenge.”

Miller, who will be 22 next week, has a batting average of 41 from six Twenty20 internationals and has a reputation as a very powerful hitter.

Stokes is expected to return to the family home in Cockermouth for a couple of weeks, where it is confidently expected his dad will keep him in trim.

Ged Stokes, a former New Zealand Rugby League international and ex-coach of both Whitehaven and Workington, is known as a hard task master and will supervise Ben’s gym work.