Graham Onions: England seamer targets Durham return within week

Onions relishes Durham return

England seamer Graham Onions hopes to return to action with Durham within a week after a back injury forced him out of the draw with Sussex.

Onions, 31, had surgery on his back in 2010 and missed the winter Ashes tour of Australia, but avoided a repeat of that serious injury on this occasion.

"Of course I've got to be careful with the back," Onions told BBC Look North.

"Hopefully I'll be ready to play in a week or 10 days' time. I've just got to keep working hard to get myself back."

The injury Onions suffered in 2010 was a stress fracture that not only ended his Ashes hopes but also ruled him out of the entire county campaign.

"The back surgery I had was very serious - it's not going to be as bad as that," he added.

"It's called the facet joint, it gets very stiff and swells up. I've had a little bit of nervy reaction down my left-hand side which has been painful.

"That's died down now and it's a case of giving myself another week to get myself ready."

Gateshead-born Onions was the most prolific bowler in the Championship in 2013 and has 11 wickets this term.