DURHAM swiftly polished off the Middlesex tail this morning, then as the biting wind grew stronger Mark Stoneman and Keaton Jennings made swift inroads into the visitors' total of 389.

But after racing to 71 in the 13th over they stumbled slightly to reach lunch on 87 for two.

Stoneman was still there on 41, having been badly missed on 19 by James Harris at long leg off Tim Murtagh.

Following his two centuries against Somerset, Jennings looked in prime form, only to depart for 34 when he gloved an attempted pull to wicketkeeper John Simpson.

That gave a lucky wicket to Steve Finn, who in two overs from each end had conceded 30 runs.

He then tightened up and Harris suddenly found some extra bounce from a good length, having Scott Borthwick caught behind for five.

The temperature had read three degrees C when a sleet shower passed over 40 minutes before the start, and given the cold conditions it was surprising that Ben Stokes found some swing.

Paul Stirling followed his fourth ball of the day to edge to wicketkeeper Michael Richardson after adding three to his overnight 41.

Tim Murtagh tried to glance a leg-side ball from Graham Onions and gloved a catch to the diving Richardson, then the last pair added 21 before Stokes bowled Finn to finish with four for 80. Toby Roland-Jones was unbeaten on 13.

Finn's opening over cost ten as Jennings drove him wide of mid-on then forced him through the covers off the back foot for another four.