Durham paceman Steve Harmison has not ruled out a return to the England side but admitted he is focussing on the county scene this season.

Harmison, 31, missed the tours of South Africa and Bangladesh during the winter but admitted his county commitments could tie in with an England return.

"If they said we want you to play for England again, I'd jump at the chance," Harmison told BBC Look North.

"But for me personally, I'm looking towards Durham."

Harmison added: "If I have a good, successful season and England come calling, fair enough; if they don't, then hopefully Durham will have a successful season and I'll have a trophy at the end of it.

Meanwhile, Durham captain Will Smith believes sealing a third straight County Championship title will be difficult in a competitive Division One this season.

The county are on course to become the first side since Yorkshire between 1966 and 1968 to win a hat-trick of titles, but Smith admitted the task will be tough.

"There are some good sides in the first division," Smith told BBC Newcastle.

"Sides who will be hurting after results we had against them last year, there'll be extra motivation for them."

Having begun the County Championship season with a win in the traditional opener against the MCC in Abu Dhabi, Durham's first league match begins against Essex at the Riverside on Thursday, 15 April.

And with friendlies against Lancashire and Durham University also penned in the diary in preparation for the new season, Smith is adamant continuing their bright start is imperative to give the county the best chance of a third title.

"Much of the four-day season is about momentum. If you can get going early when the games come thick and fast, you're only going to benefit from it," Smith added.

"We've just got to keep on doing what we're doing, doing it well and for longer than the opposition."

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