By Niall Hickman
Day One: Middlesex are 141-5(Compton 71, Onions 4-40)
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Graham Onions enjoyed a terrific first rain-affected day against Middlesex, bagging the first four wickets to leave the visitors struggling on 141-5.
Onions rolled back the years to leave Middlesex reeling, with the score at one stage 18-3 – shades of the Australian collapse at Trent Bridge.
Rain stopped play at 3.15pm and the umpires brought the day to a close just before 5pm as the downpour continued, but Durham are in a strong position having seen off half the visitors already.
Onions was the pick of the Durham bowlers as his 4-40 off 12.3 overs dismantled the Middlesex top order.
Onions, who was awarded his benefit year this season, told www.durhamccc.co.uk : “It is a very important first session tomorrow as we have to try and take advantage of the position we are in. We need to try and get them out as cheaply as possible, around the 200-mark and then bat well.
“I was pleased with the way I bowled but we are still only halfway through their order. There is a long way to go.”
With Yorkshire seemingly uncatchable, riding high at the top of the LV County Championship, the battle for second place has now started in earnest.
Middlesex started the day second in the table on 170 points, 38 behind the Yorkshiremen, who also have a game in hand.
Durham began in fourth on 154 points so a victory over the visitors would give their hopes of snatching second place a sizeable boost.
Durham handed a first class debut to seamer James Weighell, who was released by the county last year but spent the winter playing in Australia, a move which has triggered a rapid upturn in fortunes for the 21-year-old.
Under grey skies and in muggy conditions Durham skipper Paul Collingwood correctly called the toss and elected to field and his bowlers made immediate inroads into the Middlesex batting order.
Graeme Onions was in sparkling form, running in with pace and vigour to eject one Middlesex batsmen after another.
Onions took the first four wickets to fall as his pace and precision caused all the batsmen problems. First to go was Paul Stirling, who after several plays and misses managed to get a nick on a rising ball and was pouched at first slip by Collingwood.
Sam Robson had his stumps flattened on 14 by an Onions in-cutter, which took an inside edge before clattering into the wicket. Three balls later and with the score still on 18, Onions had a shout for LBW against Dawid Malan given the affirmative by umpire Tim Robinson.
Durham were on a roll and although Nick Compton and skipper James Franklin lived something of a charmed life, they managed to negotiate their way to 72 before the latter was caught by Collingwood in the slips, again off another sharp Onions delivery.
Middlesex made it through to lunch without any further losses before Compton was finally trapped. John Hastings’ bouncer was tickled down the leg side by the stylish Compton and Michael Richardson took the chance, making it 138-5.
Although Weighell hadn’t managed to grab his first wicket, he had shown plenty of promise and came close to success on several occasions.
The players trooped off with the rain falling heavily, with Neil Dexter and John Simpson the not out batsmen.