DURHAM got their LV County Championship season off to a flying start with a seven-wicket win inside three days at Taunton yesterday and coach Jon Lewis said: “It was a complete performance.

Paul Collingwood, Scott Borthwick and Chris Rushworth will take the plaudits, but those who didn't contribute as much will make sure they do next time.

“It's encouraging to win like that without a big contribution statistically from John Hastings, but he is desperate to do well all the time. He's a big character who is very important to us.

“Paul Collingwood is a remarkable character and cricketer, Scotty has become a very fine batsman and Rushy's fitness allows him to keep his pace up deep into spells.”

Rushworth broke the back of Somerset's second innings and although he saw his figures deteriorate from six for 31 to six for 92, he said: “It's very satisfying to do it here because some people will say I get most of my wickets on helpful Riverside pitches.

“When you come to a ground like this you need the seam to be hard to get some movement so you have to make the most of the new ball.”

Rushworth was in a class of his own yesterday, proving under cloudless skies that he no longer needs favourable seam bowling conditions.

After taking three wickets on Monday as Somerset slumped to 26 for four, he quickly added three more and went past 200 first-class wickets.

All but a handful of those have come since he broke into the team in the middle of the 2012 season around his 26th birthday.

The Sunderland seamer has continued to fly the flag for the late developers and has taken up where he left off last season, when he took 15 wickets in half a day against Northamptonshire.

“I was aware of the 200 wickets but I wasn't really thinking about it,” he said. “Milestones are nice but taking wickets for Durham is the main thing.

“It was a bit strange not being able to celebrate with the lads last season when I took a year off drinking, but I'll have a pint or two tonight.

“That doesn't mean I'll let my fitness slip. I've worked just as hard over the winter as in the previous two because I know the only way I'm going to go forward is by getting fitter.”

Durham suffered a slight setback when Paul Coughlin retired with a side injury. Lewis said it is too early to tell how serious it is, but Durham have time to consider their options before the next game at home to Sussex on Sunday week.

That will be Durham's longest break of the season and Lewis said: “It's not ideal but we will use the time well and will put in a bit of one-day practice before preparing for Sussex.”