ON a cheerless day at Riverside, there was at least cause for celebration for Gavin Hamilton yesterday as Durham's new recruit took three times as many wickets as in the last two seasons.

Figures of three for 30 in the drawn game against Durham University might not seem remarkable, but for the 27-year-old Scot they represented a significant step on the road to recovering his shattered confidence.

It was at the equivalent stage of the 2002 season that Hamilton suddenly sent down nine wides for Yorkshire against the Leeds/Bradford students, prompting his decline from England all-rounder to second X1 batsman.

But he is delighted to have the chance of a fresh start with Durham and his new teammates looked as pleased as he did when he took his first two wickets in two balls.

A expectant arc of seven awaited an edge from the hat-trick ball, but Hamilton chose to try a yorker, which missed off stump.

After bowling only three overs in the first innings, he struck in his seventh over yesterday and he generally bowled very straight.

He ended a second wicket stand of 66 between Mark Dale and Nottinghamshire's Will Smith when Dale played across a ball which rattled middle and leg stumps.

David Brown went half forward to the next ball and, unlike an earlier impassioned appeal for lbw, this one was answered in the affirmative.

It was a rare flurry of activity on a day when Durham, 194 for seven overnight, batted on until lunch before declaring on 291 for nine.

Needing 469 to win, the students were 77 for four at tea then Hamilton returned for another spell and bowled left-hander Justin Bishop in his second over. But after two more overs he was rested and only one more wicket fell with the university closing on 132 for eight.

Hamilton's wickets were his first in the first-class game since he had Surrey's Ali Brown caught in Yorkshire's opening championship match two years ago. In the next game he bowled one over, which cost 17 runs.

Of the other seamers, Graham Onions looked the liveliest, reinforcing the impression that with a long season ahead those with most to prove were trying hardest.

Andrew Pratt, keen to regain his championship place from Phil Mustard, top scored in both innings, going on to beat Saturday's 67 by one yesterday before he was bowled round his legs aiming to work left-armer Bishop through mid-wicket.

The Essex bowler also had Liam Plunkett caught off the shoulder of the bat at mid-off when trying to turn a shortish ball to the leg side.

Plunkett supplemented Saturday's unbeaten 33 with a useful 27 then Onions and Neil Killeen shared an unbroken stand of 50 for the final wicket.

It may not have been riveting, but tail-enders also need batting practice and Durham could be satisfied that everyone apart from Gordon Muchall spent valuable time at the crease in one or both innings.

Plunkett had Will Burnell lbw first ball in the students' second innings, but Smith played well for his 48, striking all eight of his team's fours in the afternoon session.

He finally edged a forcing back-foot shot off Muchall's medium pace to Andrew Pratt before Simon Hollingsworth, who has played for Surrey seconds, doggedly defied the Durham attack for two hours before edging Plunkett to Pratt for 23.

Stockton wicketkeeper Peter Howells enjoyed a few streaky moments, but finished unbeaten on 20 as Durham finally turned to the off-spin of Gary Pratt with bad light threatening in the last 20 minutes.

West Indian paceman Reon King, who will deputise for Shoaib Akhtar in the first two championship matches, arrived yesterday and will take part in a practice match at Riverside today.

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