DURHAM partially eased the frustrations brought on by a 4pm start yesterday on the first day of their relegation tussle with Kent at the Riverside.

Put in by Nick Speak, the visitors reached 71 for three in 32 overs, but Durham's joy at the early dismissal of Indian Test star Rahul Dravid was tempered by the fact that both unbeaten batsmen survived difficult chances.

Ed Smith and Matthew Walker have so far put on 20 and Durham will want early wickets today as they seek to make up for lost time in their attempt to close the 15-point gap which separates them from their visitors.

After sweating under the covers all day, the pitch offered movement off the seam and Neil Killeen fully deserved his two for 18 from 12 probing overs.

He had Dravid lbw for seven after the wristy Indian came into the match averaging 66.4 in the championship, and it was 51 for three when David Fulton edged Killeen to second slip.

But Smith survived a sharp chance to Jon Lewis at short leg off Simon Brown on five, while Walker's struggles almost ended when he gloved Killeen down the leg side and Andrew Pratt dived to get his fingertips to the ball.

Durham could at least point to one slice of good fortune as Robert Key was run out at the non-striker's end in the third over.

Fulton drove Brown straight back and the ball was deflected into the stumps off the bowler's boot, with Key having taken half a step out of his ground.

After an opening four-over burst which threatened little, John Wood switched to the Finchale End and went past the bat several times while conceding only 17 runs in 11 overs.

Durham used just the three bowlers, but also have Ian Hunter in their attack in preference to Steve Harmison, who has not quite fully recovered from his shin injury.

After the early loss of Key, Kent had reached 30 for one in ten overs when bad light took a further eight overs out of the day's play.

Dravid, half forward to a ball which nipped back slightly, fell in the fourth over on the resumption and Durham were also glad to see the back of Fulton, who played well for his 27 after edging the day's first ball just short of second slip.

With Mark Ealham ruled out by injury, the inexperienced James Hockley is due in next for Kent and if Durham can dismiss their visitors for around 200 they will have a chance of building a good lead on what looks a good pitch.