BARRING another disastrous collapse, Durham look like holding on for a draw, although they did lose Paul Collingwood for 36 in the over before tea.

That left them on 144 for three, two runs ahead with Mark Stoneman unbeaten on 32 after being dropped on four at third slip off Vernon Philander.

Collingwood looked unlucky to be given out lbw by umpire Trevor Jesty. He was well forward to the 6ft 5in Craig Overton and there appeared to be a very good chance that the ball would have passed over the stumps.

The openers put on 61 before Will Smith fell for 22 when he reached for an away swinger from Peter Trego and edged to third slip, who knocked the ball up for second slip to complete the catch.

Poor bowling allowed Michael Di Venuto to collect three fours through deflections to fine leg on his way to 38 before he spooned a catch to cover.

Collingwood profited from Somerset’s lack of resources. When they turned to their fourth seamer, Lewis Gregory, he began with two wides then bowled two long hops, which the batsman cracked to the cover boundary.