Durham had established a 95 run lead over Worcestershire by the close of play on the first day at Emirates Durham ICG and with one wicket remaining, will look to entend that on day two
After losing the toss, Worcestershire were bowled out for 120 at Emirates Durham ICG on day one. A five-fer for Chris Rushworth and 3-27 from Graham Onions, which saw him pass the 350 first class wickets mark, secured the home side three bowling points just after lunch.
Mitchell (5) was caught in the slips by Scott Borthwick off Rushworth’s fifth delivery and Worcester were 19-2 when Onions claimed his first wicket, in the sixth over, when Phil HIghes was caught by Stokes for just 3.
The visitors fell to 26-5 when Onions had Moeen Ali trapped lbw for 4, followed by two wickets in three deliveries for Rushworth, who bowled Vikram Solanki and his replacement Neil Pinner without scoring.
With a bowling change at both ends, bringing on Callum Thorp and Ben Stokes, both went on to pick up their only victims of the innings, Joe Leach trapped lbw off Thorp for 11 in the 22nd over and Matthew Pardoe out lbw to Stokes for 36.
Gareth Andrew was caught by Mark Stoneman off Rushworth for 16, with the eighth wicket stand of 34, bringing the total to 120 before the final two scalps fell with a fifth for Rushworth and a third for Onions.
In response Durham were one down before they got a run on the board when Mark Stoneman was trapped lbw by Richardson with the fifth delivery of the innings. Russell claimed two scalps with Will Smith caught by Andrew for 3 and Keaton Jennings bowled on 30 on the stroke of tea.
A superbly measured Ben Stokes contributed 78, with a 63 ball fifty that included eight boundaries, before he was bowled by Andrew just as Durham edged a lead.
Dale Benkenstein added 21 before he was caught behind, becoming Andrew’s second wicket, with Durham 152-5.
Two catches in two balls from Solanki saw Benkenstein (21) and Collingwood (17) dismissed by Andrew and Richardson respectively. He collected his sixth wicket when he had Onions caught on 8. Chris Rushworth and Scott Borthwick steered Durham past the 200 mark and to a 95 run lead by the close.
After play Durhamccc.co.uk spoke to Chris Rushworth, who having achieved a first class career best said, “We’re in a good position having bowled them out for 120 and then to have this lead. To take five wickets when your team is going well is great. The lads are focused on winning this game and personal milestones aren’t coming into it at the minute.
“It’s one of those pitches where, when you first go in it’s difficult to get in, but once you are in, as Ben Stokes showed, you can score runs. Our first target when I got out there with Scott was to get to 200 and get that point and the next one will to get those five runs so we’re 100 in front.”