SCOTT Borthwick might want to be certain that Durham are not going to be relegated before deciding whether to stay and yesterday he did his bit to keep them afloat.

He and the departing Mark Stoneman showed their loyalty to the cause by sharing a stand of 151, which effectively sealed the draw at home to Warwickshire.

Durham were only ten behind with eight wickets standing when Stoneman fell for 80 and Borthwick went on to make 91 before he was out five balls before hands were shaken with Durham 21 ahead on 195 for three.

“I don't really want to play in the second division, but it's not the main factor,” he said. “It's a massive decision and I have a lot to consider.”

It was a welcome return to form for a player who had totalled 159 runs in ten innings since his unbeaten 188 at Trent Bridge led to reports that he was on the verge of England selection.

But he denied that interest from elsewhere had unsettled him, saying: “I've never felt out of form, but in the last few games good balls have got me out.

“I've just kept trying to prepare properly, doing the same things, and backing myself. It's always nice to bat with Mark Stoneman and it's been a while since we put a stand together.

“The pitch got firmer and better to bat on. It probably finished the way it was meant to start, but it had spent two days under covers because of the rain.”

Borthwick and Stoneman both passed 800 runs and with four games left can still stage their annual race to 1,000.

With next week's visitors Nottinghamshire looking doomed, Durham remain 14 points ahead of Hampshire with a game in hand and are only two behind Lancashire, who have also played a game more.

Things looked ominous for Durham when, with 84 overs to bat, they lost Keaton Jennings for a duck in the fifth, when he pushed forward and edged Keith Barker behind.

As in the first innings, left-armer Barker bowled the sort of lengthy spell which creates foot-holes for Jeetan Patel to exploit.

But Borthwick watched the swinging ball on to the bat and was soon stroking Barker effortlessly through the covers.

Stoneman had made only one when he whipped Chris Wright over long leg for six and it was no surprise when Patel came on for the 14th over.

After working with the off-spinner in New Zealand last winter, Borthwick said: “Knowing the way he bowls helped me a bit. He had joked that he was going to get me out, and I'm pleased that he didn't.

“He's a world-class bowler and I thought we played him well. Then when Rikki Clarke came on bowling off spin I knew it was the last over and went at it a bit too hard.”

Clarke had bowled a testing spell with his usual seamers, but his attempt at off breaks resulted in the first ball being well wide of off stump. Borthwick flailed at it and got a big inside edge into his stumps.

Patel conceded only seven runs in his first nine overs, going closest to a breakthrough when Stoneman missed an attempted cut on 45 and was almost bowled.

A repeat of the stroke brought the three runs which took him to 50 as nine runs suddenly came off Patel's tenth over. He was rested and the relief was palpable as the batsmen took ten off Oliver Hannon-Dalby's first over.

Both completed their half-centuries off 93 balls and continued neck and neck as Durham reached 162 for one at tea, only 12 behind.

When Patel returned his first over included two leg-side wides as he tried to find Barker's foot-holes from over the wicket. He went back round the wicket and bowled Stoneman, who was on the back foot, with no addition to the tea score.

But Jack Burnham played confidently to reach ten before hands were shaken with 22 overs still available.

In the morning Chris Rushworth was convinced he had Barker caught behind with the first ball, then two balls later the all-rounder edged a four just out of gully's reach.

He continued to ride both his luck and some short stuff from Graham Onions, with several attempts at the ramp shot proving fruitless as he remained unbeaten on 43.

When Barry McCarthy replaced Onions he had Tim Ambrose caught at deep square leg for 50 to finish with the best figures of three for 56.

Warwickshire had added 37 in ten overs when they declared on 381 for eight.