AS feared, Ian Bell made Durham pay for dropping him off the final ball yesterday as he progressed from his overnight 59 to 106 in the 90 minutes’ play which was possible this afternoon.

Warwickshire were 195 for seven, 32 ahead, when the rain returned at 2.40 and Durham needed a stroke of luck to end a partnership which was threatening to take the game away from them.

Tim Ambrose looked as though his gremlins of recent seasons were behind him as he contributed 39 to a stand of 87 with Bell.

He had already cut Ian Blackwell for two fours when Durham posted a short gully and Ambrose immediately cut the spinner on to Ben Stokes’ thigh. The ball lobbed up for Michael Di Venuto to complete the catch at slip.

Rikki Clarke played back to the first ball of Blackwell’s next over and was lbw, but Bell cut the left-armer for his 13th four to complete a 199-ball century. A similar shot to the cover boundary off the next ball emphasised his liking for Blackwell’s offerings, having driven him for a straight six in his first over of the day.

Durham opened up with Mitch Claydon and Graham Onions today, but with the ball 50 overs old it showed no sign of swinging in the cold conditions.

Batting was easier than yesterday and although Claydon had a confident lbw appeal turned down and Onions twice beat Bell in the 70s the sixth-wicket pair looked increasingly confident.