The Jets kickstart their home Natwest T20 Blast campaign against the Notts Outlaws at Emirates Riverside tomorrow night.
The match follows hot on the heels of the sides’ clash at Trent Bridge in the Specsavers County Championship this week.
But the red ball and whites give way to the frenetic format that is T20 cricket under the lights at Emirates Riverside.
The Outlaws have had the better of the meetings between the two sides in recent years, winning six of the last eight contests and their last three on Durham’s turf.
But Jon Lewis’ side are high on confidence after defeating the reigning champions, Lancashire Lightning, last Friday at Emirates Old Trafford.
And we look at a couple of match-ups for key players on either side ahead of tomorrow night’s encounter.
Mark Stoneman vs Riki Wessels
This is a big battle of the attacking opening batsman who regularly score at more than a run a ball.
Durham Jets skipper Mark Stoneman is renowned for his purposeful attacking play in all formats of cricket and often gets the Jets off to a flier in the powerplay overs.
But then so is Riki Wessels – as was in evidence against the Jets in both matches last year.
The 30-year-old blasted a career-best 97 from 51 balls at Emirates Riverside, falling short of his ton in the penultimate over in a 42-run victory.
Exactly one year ago today he also hit a quickfire 67 during the Trent Bridge fixture too.
They were two of three half centuries against the Jets and Wessels averages a lofty 44.28 from seven innings against the club.
Their propensity to start quickly and carry the momentum through the innings can often prove a decisive factor.
Usman Arshad vs Luke Fletcher
Captain Stoneman praised Usman Arshad’s ability to bowl at either end of the innings and he has evidenced that ability during the opening two games of this campaign.
The all-rounder was on a hat-trick against Lancashire en route to figures of 3/30, backing up last season’s excellent campaign.
He finished as the competition’s third highest wicket taker, an excellent feat made even more impressive as he often bowls the danger overs.
Luke Fletcher has also gained a reputation as an excellent bowler during the death overs.
Though he perhaps does not have the same numbers as Arshad, the burly pace bowler has one of the best yorkers in county cricket; a pivotal piece of a death bowler’s armoury.
Fletcher found himself out of Nottinghamshire’s red ball side last year but remained a part of their white ball plans.