GORDON Muchall, who is out of contract at the end of the season, prevented a total collapse by Durham at home to Middlesex as they rallied from 51 for six to 169 all out.

Gloomy conditions continued to favour the bowlers but Muchall stood firm, worked the ball into spaces and unfurled the occasional drive to reach 64 before he was last out.

Debut boy James Weighell began the recovery when he went in to face Jamie Harris's hat-trick ball and scored 19 off his first seven balls.

The 21-year-old left-hander glanced the first to fine leg for four then twice edged Tim Murtagh wide of gully before picking him up over mid-wicket for his fourth boundary.

With Muchall briefly joining in the spree 31 came off 15 balls, but only four more were added before Weighell drove at Harris, bowling round the wicket, and lost his off stump for 25.

John Hastings helped Muchall add 30 before slicing to deep cover and there was a second wicket for Neil Dexter when Chris Rushworth fell to a sensational one-handed catch by Toby Roland-Jones, diving to his left at mid-off.

Graham Onions contributed 13 not out to a last-wicket stand of 39 before Muchall guided Murtagh to James Franklin at slip.

Scott Borthwick was the first to fall after lunch, although he didn't appear to think he had edged a fine ball from Roland-Jones to John Simpson.

Michael Richardson made 21 before he was lbw on the back foot to Harris, whose next ball took out Ryan Pringle's middle stump.