DURHAM will go into the final day of their season knowing they will be handed the chance of bowing out with a victory by Worcestershire's plight.

The visitors are 115 ahead with all second innings wickets standing and desperately need to win to have any hope of staying up. That will force them to set Durham a reachable target and Scott Borthwick said: “We will back ourselves to chase down whatever they set us.”

After making his tenth championship half-century of the season Borthwick added: “It's good that I've been more consistent but massively frustrating that I haven't gone on to make big hundreds.”

He has been in the 90s three times, but his only century came at Worcester, when Durham chased a target of 318 to win by six wickets.

Borthwick top-scored with 73 as Durham were dismissed for 277 in reply to 350 for seven declared, leaving the visitors with nine overs to bat, in which they reached 42 without loss.

Brett D'Oliveira, grandson of Basil, reached 31 not out to follow his five for 48 with his leg spin, having never previously taken more than two wickets in a first-class innings.

As Durham are not mathematically safe they are unlikely to take any risks today and will hope that yesterday's washout in Southampton will help Yorkshire to escape with a draw.

If Hampshire win it will give them a chance of overhauling Durham, although Dale Benkenstein's men finish with a tough match at Trent Bridge next week.

Worcestershire's relegation would be confirmed by a draw, while the other two teams below Durham, Sussex and Somerset, could also overtake them by winning next week, should Durham fail to win today. Sussex are at Headingley and Somerset entertain Warwickshire.

In the morning Worcestershire tried to make up for the second day's washout by adding 127 in 18.4 overs before declaring as soon as they achieved the fourth batting point.

Ross Whiteley pulled Graham Onions for six as 30 came off the day's first five overs. The powerful left-hander made 51 off 63 balls before pushing forward to a ball from Ryan Pringle, which turned to hit the off stump.

Tom Kohler-Cadmore advanced impressively from his overnight 46 to 89, made from 133 balls with 12 fours, before he stretched forward to a ball from Borthwick and was stumped.

Joe Leach clubbed his second ball to long-on for four before becoming another stumping victim for Michael Richardson when he charged down the pitch to Pringle's next ball.

Worcestershire still had 8.2 overs in which to try to add 50 runs for the fifth point, but preferred to let Shannon Gabriel loose for 30 minutes before lunch.

The West Indian paceman, signed for the last two games, found some steep bounce in four fairly rapid overs, but ended the day with none for 56 in ten overs.

Mark Stoneman raced to a 53-ball half-century before he and Jack Burnham fell in successive overs. Burnham had made 21 when he edged Ed Barnard to first slip and without addition Stoneman was bowled driving at a Jack Shantry in-swinger.

Barnard also induced an edge from Paul Collingwood, who gave Daryl Mitchell the first of his two catches at second slip. The second sent back Richardson for 13.

Borthwick and Gordon Muchall ran busily in putting on 60 in 12 overs before Muchall was lbw for 29, propping forward to a straight one from D'Oliveira.

Pringle also got a start without going on, scoring most of his 21 on the leg side before Barnard sent his off stump flying and the rest surrendered to D'Oliveira.

Borthwick's excellent knock ended when he dragged a leg break into his timber when trying to pull it from outside off stump.