A Kasey Aldridge five-wicket haul and David Bedingham’s unbeaten 59 put Rothesay County Championship Division Two leaders Durham in control of their fixture with bottom side Gloucestershire.
Brydon Carse picked up two early wickets to put Durham on top early on.
Aldridge and Matthew Potts backed up Carse’s efforts, but James Bracey’s half-century provided a glimmer of hope for the visitors. However, Aldridge, who passed 100 First Class wickets while doing it, wrapped up the tail, with Gloucestershire being bowled out for 137.
Durham’s reply got off to a difficult start as they found themselves 16 for two, but David Bedingham continued his brilliant season with the bat as he smashed a run-a-ball half-century before the day was curtailed by bad light. The hosts will resume on 100 for three on day two, with Gloucestershire leading by 37 runs.
Durham are the only unbeaten team in the world’s premier red ball competition and ahead of this fixture against basement boys Gloucestershire, their aim was to increase their 30-point lead at the top of Division Two as they look to secure an instant return to Division One.
After Durham won the toss and elected to bowl first, Carse was immediately in the thick of the action as he removed Joe Phillips’ middle stump to hand Durham a dream start.
Durham struck again as Potts got Cameron Bancroft when the Australian offered a loose drive and it flew to Bedingham at first slip. Carse struck again as Miles Hammond chopped on to his stumps to leave the visitors 13 for three.
Bracey and Ollie Price stemmed the flow of Durham wickets, with the Gloucestershire pair making the most of any run-scoring opportunities when they arose.
The visiting pair then took their stand past fifty, but Aldridge struck twice in quick succession, as he got Price caught at second slip and Tommy Boorman caught behind.
Daz Ahmed then fell at the hands of Potts, with the all-rounder caught at second slip. However, the determined Bracey passed the fifty mark for the sixth time this season.
That didn’t stop wickets falling around him, with Essex loanee Mitchell Killeen falling at the hands of Aldridge who got the ex-Durham man caught behind.
Ben Stokes then joined in on the action as he dismantled Sai Kishore’s leg stump. Aldridge then wrapped up his five-wicket haul, as he got Bracey lbw and JT Langridge was caught at point.
Durham’s reply got off to a challenging start as Somerset loanee Langridge got Alex Lees caught behind. Ben McKinney then got out to an Ahmed short ball as he got a looping edge on it which was caught by Phillips.
Will Rhodes and Bedingham steadied the ship for the hosts, with the latter the aggressor in the partnership as he produced an excellent straight drive off the bowling of Killeen.
Bedingham continued that form as he passed fifty after tea, picking up four boundaries from an Ahmed over. Gloucestershire struck back though as Langridge’s impressive debut continued when he got Rhodes caught at first slip.
Both sets of players were heading for the pavilion shortly after, with bad light bringing a premature end to day one, with 26 overs of play being lost.