WORCESTERSHIRE'S search for rapid runs briefly came unstuck at Chester-le-Street this morning before Ross Whiteley emerged to thrash 47 off 21 off balls.

Aiming for a lunchtime declaration, they then lost five wickets for 37 runs and called a halt four minutes before the scheduled break when the ninth wicket went down on 217. In a match Worcestershire need to win to have any hope of avoiding relegation they have set Durham a target of 291 in 72 overs.

A brisk start was ended when Durham's Chris Rushworth took his 100th wicket of the season in county cricket, of which 83 have come in the LV County Championship.

He ended an opening stand of 68 when he bowled Daryl Mitchell for 21 then Graham Onions took two wickets in the next over to make it 72 for three.

Nipping the ball back, he clean bowled Brett D'Oliveira for 49 and Joe Clarke for a second ball duck, but Whiteley immediately put bat to ball.

The last over of Onions' nine-over spell went for 16, sparking a spree which brought 88 off the last eight overs.

Whiteley picked up Jamie Harrison behind square for six and Tom Kohler-Cadmore cleared the rope off Ryan Pringle before holing out at deep mid-wicket for 38, ending a stand of 69.

Ben Cox scored his six runs in one blow off Scott Borthwick before falling lbw to the leg-spinner attempting a reverse sweep. Whiteley drove to long-off and Pringle picked up a third wicket when Ed Barnard was lbw for 17, prompting the declaration.