SCOTT Borthwick continued his majestic form with a third century in five innings to keep Durham's heads above water at Trent Bridge, where they reached lunch on 308 for six.

They still need 77 to avoid the follow-on and the injured Brydon Carse is expected to bat, if necessary.

After resuming on 59, Borthwick continued to bat at his usual pleasing tempo, reaching his hundred off 158 balls, remarkably similar to his two tons against Lancashire.

He then dug in to make sure he was still there at lunch, which he reached on 117 with James Weighell playing nicely in his unbeaten 17.

Paul Collingwood departed for 40 in the second over, edging the most impressive bowler, left-armer Harry Gurney, to second slip.

Gurney twice beat Borthwick with excellent balls, which pitched in line and left him. But he found he had no margin for error when a leg glance was followed by a superbly-timed cut for another four.

Gurney was a threat when he pitched the ball up, but his use of the short ball let him down and both Borthwick and Ryan Pringle pulled him fiercely for four.

He made way for Jake Ball, who continued to show that England had made the right choice in preferring Chris Woakes.

Ball did have a confident appeal for lbw with Borthwick on 99, but in his next over a straight drive for three took the batsman to his century.

Pringle profited from a few edges but also played several powerful strokes in helping to add 84. He survived a sharp return chance to Ball on 33 and added only one before edging a short one to the wicketkeeper.