DURHAM had to endure a stamina-sapping day under the blazing Southport sun yesterday as their hopes of a comfortable win against Lancashire slowly evaporated.

It is predicted to be even hotter on the final day today, when Southport regulars expect the ball to turn square as Durham contemplate a victory target of 247.

There was a sting in the tail yesterday when Jimmy Anderson's replacement, Nathan Buck, pulled successive Scott Borthwick long hops for six and four then drove a huge six in his unbeaten 27.

Although there was enough turn to encourage Adam Hickey in taking his first two first-class wickets, the pitch remains sound and Durham will hope for something special from Ben Stokes before he rejoins England tomorrow.

Only the Durham contingent in a crowd of 2,200, slightly more than on the first two days, failed to appreciate the obduracy of Luke Procter as he ground his way to a 235-ball century.

The 28-year-old left-hander from Oldham is something of a late developer, scoring two of his three first-class centuries this season.

He is an unorthodox cricketer, although his crouched stance is not as unusual as his whirligig bowling.

In surviving for six hours to make 122 he might have been run out three times and was missed by Michael Richardson on 92, when he edged a cut off Hickey.

He would have been run out for 59 had Jack Burnham's throw from square leg hit the non-striker's stumps, but his biggest let-off was on 73.

A stop-start single to mid-on would have seen him stranded but for the combination of a moderate throw and a Hickey fumble.

Procter had only eight fours in his hundred and Lancashire's crawl to 333 in 118.4 overs has left any result possible, even the draw which seemed highly unlikely on the first day.

It took 70 minutes to make the breakthrough in the morning. Graham Onions and Chris Rushworth often beat the bat in the first half hour, but the closest Durham came to a wicket was through a brilliant stop at cover by Paul Coughlin. Had his shy hit the stumps it would have produced a run out.

Rushworth tried to test Haseeb Hameed with short balls, but the impressive youngster showed excellent judgement in what to leave.

An edge wide of the slips off Stokes gave Hameed his seventh four and took him to 50 off 107 balls.

He fell for 53 when he gloved a short ball from Stokes to third slip, where substitute Jeremy Benton held the catch.

The arrival of Alviro Petersen was greeted by the introduction of Borthwick's leg spin, but the South African looked untroubled until he played back looking to turn a ball which pitched on leg stump to mid-wicket.

It turned enough to have him lbw for 17 in the over before lunch, but Hickey took the only two wickets in the afternoon.

Steven Croft was the off-spinner's maiden victim, driving to deep mid-on, then Karl Brown popped up a catch to Keaton Jennings at short leg.

Three wickets suddenly went down for seven runs after tea, starting when Borthwick had Procter caught at leg slip. Tom Moores went for 35 when he was beaten by Coughlin's throw from cover, then a Borthwick googly bowled Kyle Jarvis.

Buck stymied hopes of wrapping up the tail quickly as he and Simon Kerrigan put on 27 before Stokes grabbed the last two wickets, leaving no time for Durham to start their chase.

*Australian triallist Nick Hobson, who has been playing for Newcastle, hit an unbeaten 125 as Durham amassed 349 for one in a Second X1 Trophy match at home to Northamptonshire.

Phil Mustard dominated an opening stand of 189 with 104 then Calum MacLeod thrashed a 105 not out off 68 balls.