Durham ended the second, and penultimate, day of their MCC University match against Durham UCCE at the Racecourse ground in a strong position, 204 runs ahead with eight wickets in hand.

The county's four seamers each took two wickets while slow bowlers Paul Wiseman and Will Smith claimed a wicket apiece.

On a wicket with carry that rewarded those who bowled in the right areas and hit the pitch hard, the students found the going tough from the opening over.

Replying to Durham's declared first innings total of 397-5 the hosts hadn't added to their overnight score of 45-1 when Liam Plunkett induced an outside edge from Nick Prowting.

Wicketkeeper Phil Mustard then held on to another edge from University captain James Morris from another testing Plunkett delivery.

Plunkett, largely overlooked by England during disastrous Ashes and World Cup campaigns, conceded just 36 runs from 21 accurate overs.

Fellow Teessider Mark Davies continued his comeback from injury with two wickets while Mitch Claydon and Neil Killeen also claimed two victims.

Durham UCCE managed only one significant partnership, 76 for the fourth wicket between Nick Lamb and Luke Evans who top scored with 44.

While Durham look set to make their professional status count there were disappointments in the final session after the students had been bowled out for 238 in their 91st over.

Gary Park, who made only three in the first innings, scored one less in the second while the out of touch Gordon Muchall again missed out when he was bowled by Lamb for 14.