DURHAM'S three-day match against the University starting at the Racecourse on Friday has suddenly taken on great significance for the struggling middle-order batsmen.

Durham have traditionally filled their boots against student bowling before beginning the county championship programme, and initial reaction to facing Durham UCCE on May 9-11 this time was that it would serve little purpose.

But after another shambolic collapse on Saturday prior to securing a draw against Gloucestershire, some batsmen are in desperate need of a lengthy stay at the crease.

Despite his glittering National League century at Taunton, Gary Pratt has totalled 29 runs in four championship innings and Vince Wells has 17. They scored one run between them in this match.

They are occupying the slots at three and four which were earmarked for Martin Love and Paul Collingwood. But as the big guns will still not be available for the next game against Worcestershire at Stockton, starting on Wednesday week, Durham need to find a way of extracting some runs from these crucial positions.

Saturday's collapse was all the more dispiriting because it followed Durham's highest opening stand for four years.

Following on 158 behind the second division leaders, Durham reached 118 before Michael Gough was out for 73.

It is necessary to go back to September 1, 1999 to find a bigger opening partnership in the championship, when Jon Lewis and Jimmy Daley put on 144 at Old Trafford. Durham then collapsed to 226 all out.

Something similar was on the cards on Saturday, but Lewis stood firm until he was sixth out with Durham three behind and 3.3 overs left. Eight balls later Andrew Pratt edged a four just out of Jack Russell's reach and a halt was called with Durham on 159 for six.

The jitters reached a climax at 149 for five with 8.4 overs left in fading light. But Pratt kept a cool head and Durham were all but safe when, for the second time in the match, Lewis's admirable vigil was ended by a brutal lifter, giving Phil Weston his third catch in the gully.

As in all four championship innings this season, Durham were hugely indebted to Lewis, who completed his fourth half-century.

It took him 189 balls to reach the landmark with a fiercely-cut four, which may well have been fuelled by anger as Nicky Peng had deposited the previous ball straight down deep square leg's throat.

In the circumstances it was as brainless a stroke as you are likely to see and was another infuriating example of Peng's failure to take on board the lessons which are being preached to him.

After Friday's washout the groundstaff began mopping up at 8am, but it was 11.30 before the last of the sheeting was removed and play began 45 minutes late, which would not have pleased the visitors.

With three wickets standing, Durham still needed 62 to avoid the follow-on and without addition Javagal Srinath tried to whip the day's fifth ball to mid-wicket and was bowled by Jonathan Lewis. It hasn't taken long for Srinath to catch the Durham disease.

Nicky Phillips then contributed 27 to a stand of 37 with Dewald Pretorius before edging Roger Sillence to Russell.

Pretorius clubbed Smith's slower ball to long-on for six, but when he shuffled into a straight ball from Sillence he was lbw and Durham were all out for 183 to go with their totals of 185 and 180 at Taunton.

Gloucestershire had a minimum of 67 overs to dismiss Durham again, having achieved the feat in 64.3 overs in the first innings.

But they had to wait until the 48th over for their first success as Gough overcame an uncertain start to blossom with seven sweetly-timed fours in his 69-ball half-century.

After totalling 20 in three innings, Gough was on one when he survived a big lbw appeal from Lewis, who also caused concern when he shot one through at ankle height.

There was audible laughter from Gloucestershire, but if they hoped the benign pitch was starting to play tricks they were mistaken and when Sillence replaced Smith for the 12th over Gough cut and pulled him for two fours in his first over.

Gough sped to 65 out of 105 at tea, but was aiming towards mid-on when a ball from Smith left him a shade and flew off the edge to Weston.

Two overs later the same combination accounted for Gary Pratt, who bagged a pair, and the same fate was narrowly avoided by Wells.

Out first ball in the first innings, he made one before he pushed forward and edged Smith to Russell.

Peng made ten before falling for the sucker punch, and when Danny Law was yorked in the next over the alarm bells were ringing.

The optimists will tell Durham: "All you need is Love." But confidence-boosting runs against the students this week would also help.