KEATON Jennings kept Durham in the hunt for victory at Southport this morning, despite the loss of opening partner Mark Stoneman to the day's sixth ball.

Needing 247 to win on another blazing hot day, Durham were 97 for two at lunch with Jennings on 40 and Jack Burnham 23.

The only chance given by either was just before the break, when Burnham survived a sharp chance low to Tom Smith's right at slip off left-arm spinner Simon Kerrigan.

Jennings was off the mark in the first over with a four edged wide of the slips off Kyle Jarvis, then took a single before Stoneman was lbw when shaping to play to mid-wicket. The ball started on leg stump but swung just enough to defeat the shot and stay on line.

Scott Borthwick played fluently in contributing 28 to a stand of 41, although he had a slice of luck when a skied pull off Nathan Buck just cleared mid-wicket.

It was expected that the spinners would be on early, but Tom Smith replaced Buck and had Borthwick caught low down at gully when he squared him up with a ball of extra bounce.

Kerrigan was on for the 13th over and leg-spinner Matt Parkinson for the 21st.

Kerrigan set the excitable tone with a huge lbw appeal from his fourth ball, although it had clearly turned enough to be missing Jennings' leg stump.

The appeals grew more ridiculous as Lancashire's frustration grew, and while there were moments of discomfort Jennings and Burnham played the spinners with great skill.