THERE was no surprise in Warwickshire dispensing with the toss on an overcast morning at Chester-le-Street, where Durham battled to 59 for two from 29 overs at lunch.

Play began on time following heavy rain and Durham set out to blunt the threat of Keith Barker. But in an 11-over spell of probing swing he took two for nine.

The normally attacking Mark Stoneman was bowled for three when his forward defence was breached in the ninth over.

Barker has regularly troubled Durham's left-handers in recent seasons and four overs later Keaton Jennings was drawn into pushing firmly at one which swung to take the edge on the way to Varun Chopra at first slip.

Jennings had hit Chris Wright for four fours in his 21, but the boundaries dried up until Oliver Hannon-Dalby replaced Barker and Jack Burnham hit his second ball through the covers.

Scott Borthwick off-drove the same bowler in his second over, then cut Jeetan Patel for four when the spinner replaced Rikki Clarke, whose seven overs cost only 11.

There was a lengthy delay just before lunch when Burnham hit himself in the foot and required treatment. He was on 15 at lunch with Borthwick on 19.