By Scott Heinrich

Gavin Hamilton is getting to know his Onions - in fact, he is getting to know all of his new team-mates at Durham.

It's crunch time and I think this is the year Gavin Hamilton

The all-rounder signed at the end of last season after Yorkshire released him following 10 years on the Headingley staff.

"They're a good set of lads, a young team. I've been training since early January and it's going really well," Hamilton, 29, tells the BBC Sport Website.

Hamilton is one of a number of new faces in the Durham dressing room, joining Gareth Breese, Herschelle Gibbs, Reon King, Marcus North and the returning Pakistani Shoaib Akhtar, as well as rookie seamer Graham Onions.

England's newest county - they played their maiden first-class match in 1992 - will be aiming for Championship promotion and a first piece of silverware in one-day cricket.

"I think everyone realises it's time to stand up and be counted," Hamilton says.

"It's crunch time for a lot of people in and around the squad and I think this is the year.

"The overseas players are class acts. They're match-winners and the sort of players Durham have lacked.

"We haven't really sat down and discussed goals, but if we're going to be honest we can't accept anything less than promotion.

DURHAM 2004 Coach: Martyn Moxon Captain: Jon Lewis Overseas players: Shoaib Akhtar (Reon King as cover), Herschelle Gibbs (Marcus North as cover) Players in: Shoaib Akhtar, Herschelle Gibbs, Gareth Breese, Gavin Hamilton, Reon King, Marcus North Players out: Vince Wells, Michael Gough, Ian Hunter, Nicky Hatch, Nicky Phillips, Danny Law, Ashley Thorpe, Chris Mann, Martin Love, Dewald Pretorius

"One-day cricket is one-day cricket and everybody wants to win something, but Championship cricket is a summer-long haul and that's the stall we have to set out for ourselves."

Chester-le-Street is the latest pitstop in a tumultuous career that has taken Hamilton from the peak of his profession to the depths of despair.

Born in Scotland, Hamilton was selected to play Test cricket for England after starring for his native county in the 1999 World Cup.

Hamilton debuted alongside Michael Vaughan and Chris Adams against South Africa in late-1999. He made a pair, his medium-pacers got flogged around the Wanderers and he was promptly dropped, never to return.

Hamilton misery more than most

Things receded as he lost his confidence and succumbed to the yips, too afraid to bowl and not strong enough with the willow to command a place as a batsman alone.

Hamilton spent the best part of two years grappling with his problems, returning late last year for one Championship and three National League matches before being dumped.

Enter Durham coach Martyn Moxon, who had captained and coached Hamilton at Yorkshire in the 1990s.

USA heartbreak for Scotland

"When I was released I had to make a decision whether I wanted to play because I wasn't enjoying it," says Hamilton, who played again for Scotland in the ICC Six Nations Challenge earlier this year.

Way back when: Hamilton played for England and Scotland in 1999

"Around November when I was thinking where I was going to go with [cricket], Martyn approached me and asked me to have a good think about it.

"It came at a nice time and I loved the ideas that he had and the freedom he gave me to do my own thing bowling-wise.

"I know what he stands for and what he's about. He's one of the few people who can't be bothered with any lies.

"I've known him for a number of years now and I think as long as we are honest with each other things should go well."

Hamilton hopes he can bury his problems and fill a bowling role with Durham this season.

"I'm taking each step as it comes and just doing each task day by day. I've got my own personal goals to achieve," he admits.

"I'm making good strides forward with my bowling. I've got a good direction, I know where I'm going with it and I'm happy with my batting, too.

"I'll play whatever role the team wants me to. I speak quite a bit with Martyn and he's just letting me get on with things.