WITH conditions easing, Durham were enjoying a profitable afternoon until Scott Borthwick surrendered for an excellent 92, ending a stand of 99 with Paul Collingwood.

Two more wickets went down and on 207 for seven the lead is 279, which Collingwood, still there on 47, will want to get up to 350.

Borthwick batted beautifully until he holed out off the left-arm spin of Simon Kerrigan, a possible future rival for an England place.

Having reached 50 off 92 balls, Borthwick was in full cry when Kerrigan came on and pulled his opening long hop in front of mid-wicket for six.

He was out when he went down the pitch and tried to clear long on, only to miscue to deep mid-wicket, where Tom Smith held the catch to end a stand of 99.

As Gordon Muchall settled in comfortably, Glen Chapple belied his 40 years by trying to bounce him out, placing two short legs and two men back for the miscued pull.

The tactic had almost worked earlier when Collingwood, on 21, hooked just short of a substitute fielder at long leg.

It didn’t look like troubling Muchall, but when Chapple belatedly made way for Tom Smith he had Muchall caught behind for 15 then pinned Phil Mustard lbw four balls later.

When Smith went round the wicket and tried to bounce John Hastings the big Australian clobbered him just short of the rope in front of mid-wicket. Smith went back over the wicket and Hastings remains unbeaten on ten.