IT was a day of landmarks for Durham on Saturday. Chris Rushworth equalled Ottis Gibson's 2007 Durham record of 80 first-class wickets in a season before going on to add two more yesterday.

Graham Onions reached 50 wickets for the fifth time and Paul Collingwood's four catches at first slip equalled the Durham record for catches in an innings other than by the wicketkeeper.

There was also a half-century for Gordon Muchall, his first at home in the championship for four years as he stakes his claim for a new contract. But his good work in scoring 64 was undone by David Malan making 63 after Muchall dropped him first ball.

The miss, off Onions at third slip, allowed Middlesex to recover from 29 for four at a time when Durham needed to turn the screw.

Rushworth had taken three for six in his opening seven overs and by taking the last two yesterday he lifted his championship tally to 77. He also took five against Durham University and his actual first-class total is 84 when his two for MCC against Yorkshire are added.

He has three games left to become the first to reach 100 since Mushtaq Ahmed for Sussex in 2006.

Rushworth had to be content with one wicket in Middlesex's first innings, while Onions was rewarded for his best bowling of the season with seven for 68.

On a day when 19 wickets fell, Muchall skilfully anchored Durham's recovery from 51 for six but saw three colleagues perish through the muck-or-nettles approach.

Debut boy James Weighell went in to face a hat-trick ball from Jamie Harris but glanced it to fine leg for four and raced to 19 off seven balls. He was bowled for 25 aiming to drive Harris when he went round the wicket to the left-hander.

John Hastings and Rushworth holed out off Neil Dexter's medium pace, leaving last man Onions to show the sensible approach in putting on 31 with Muchall.

Durham coach Jon Lewis paid tribute to Rushworth's record, saying: “It's a fantastic effort and it's not a one-off because he's been doing it for three years and he contributes in all forms of the game.

“His value to the side is difficult to measure. The game is moving forward in lots of good ways, but sometimes you need some old school values like getting on the park and bowling your overs.

“There are very few seamers around the country who contribute regularly until they are 23 or 24 and we have a few who are still learning but aren't fit at the moment. We have invested time in them and have to stay patient.

“Jamie Harrison played a few games when his physical problems were impairing his performance, so we left him out here and gave James Weighell a chance, He beat the bat a bit and and we couldn't really have expected any more of him.”

Durham's England Under 19 pair, Jack Burnham and Adam Hickey, will be available for the Second X1 Trophy final against Derbyshire, which is likely to be held at Chester-le-Street.

Both played significant parts in the U19s' four-wicket win at Worcester, where Australia's 294 for six was chased down with two balls to spare.

Hickey opened and scored 43 before Burnham made 53 off 47 balls.