IN his seventh first-class game Usman Arshad bagged his first four-wicket haul as Durham dismissed Northants for 378.

Although the pitch shows no sign of deterioration, a first innings lead of 74.then began to look useful as Durham lost both openers in reaching 45 for two at tea.

Mark Stoneman failed for the second time, edging Maurice Chambers to first slip for one and Keaton Jennings departed for 21 when off-spinner James Middlebrook came on for an over before the break. The left-hander was beaten by the first ball and edged the fourth to slip.

After Durham’s new ball bowlers failed to break a frustrating seventh-wicket stand of 67, Arshad finally removed Matthew Spriegel for 97 on his way to figures of four for 78.

Jamie Harrison had three for 83, so it was the young guns who took the wickets while Graham Onions and Chris Rushworth had combined figures of one for 147.

Spriegel’s exit came after he edged and cover drove successive balls from Arshad for four. He attempted a fierce off the next and edged to Phil Mustard.

In the next over wicketkeeper David Murphy’s resistance ended when he edged Harrison to Paul Collingwood at first slip.

Last man Maurice Chambers produced two imperious on-drives for four off Harrison before Arshad wrapped it up by having Mohammad Azharullah caught at third slip by Gareth Breese.