NEW skipper Dale Benkenstein believes Durham can get even better after their sensational start at Canterbury saw them go straight to the top of division one.

After taking maximum points from the victory against Kent by an innings and 56 runs, Benkenstein said: "We believe we can bowl better than that. Neil Killeen and Callum Thorp were outstanding, but even though Graham Onions came back unbelievably well he and Ottis Gibson bowled too many four-balls in their first spells.

"After the first afternoon we had a chat with Graham. There was some doubt in his mind about how to bowl, so we told him to use his extra pace and bounce - not to doubt it, just to run in and do it and he would get something out of it. He then produced a fantastic spell with the second new ball, so he shouldn't have any doubts about himself now.

"We put into practice a lot of things we had talked about, now the challenge is to keep repeating it."

Benkenstein now faces a dilemma over whether to leave out one of his quartet of Canterbury seamers to accommodate Mick Lewis for the visit of Lancashire to Riverside, starting on Wednesday.

After coming in as a late replacement for the Australian, Killeen's workload and economy played a key part for Durham, even if he did take only two wickets.

"If there has been a question mark against him in the past it his been over whether he could come back for second and third spells," said the captain. "But he answered every question.

"We were in the field for more than 180 overs during their two innings and to be still buzzing at the end of it was a real credit to the attitude of the players and the work which has gone in."

With Robert Key new to the job for Kent, Durham had a big advantage in the captaincy stakes as the shrewd Benkenstein had led Natal for eight seasons until he gave it up two years ago.

After a frustrating start to the third day, when Kent reached 230 for two, three bowling changes paid instant dividends, as did placing himself at short mid-on to catch Martin van Jaarsveld in the second innings.

"I'd had a bit of a break from captaincy so it was good to get the brain going again - it was fun," he said. "You can have all the plans you like, but if the bowlers don't put it in the right place and stick to it, it doesn't work.

"We had worked really hard on the third morning and not much had gone our way, but if you hang in long enough it changes."

Both Benkenstein and double century-maker Gordon Muchall were surprised by Kent's tactics at the start of Muchall's record sixth wicket stand of 249 with Phil Mustard.

The hosts were happy to give Muchall singles and Benkenstein added: "Well as we played they let us off the hook a bit. It wasn't a 570 pitch but we took our chance. It was Muchall's day and the lesson is that whenever anyone gets in he has to put a big score on the board."

Muchall, who also made a double hundred for England Under 19s against India at Cardiff, said: "When Phil came in we said we'd never had much of a bat together and we would try to put a stand together.

"He's more mature now and knows his game better, so we fed off each other. But I was surprised at first that they allowed us to rotate the strike and didn't put any real pressure on.

"I was reasonably well set but if the bowlers put it in the right place on that pitch there was something in it. We would have been happy with 350."

Muchall spent the second half of the winter playing in Perth then went on Durham's 12-day trip to Dubai.

"Phil and I didn't waste too many runs in Dubai, he said. "But I felt in good form coming into the season and I've learnt something about building a big innings from watching Mike Hussey. I batted for a long time with him when he scored his 253 in the first match last season.

"I slept quite well on 193 and when my first scoring shot the next morning was a six it took some pressure off."

Mustard, whose 130 was 50 more than his previous best, feels he has learnt from listening to experts on the mental side of the game.

"We have one from Durham University and I got fixed up to see one in Adelaide when I was there from early January to mid-March," he said. "It's all basic stuff about keeping a clear mind, and it's up to you whether you want to take any notice. But because I've got a bit of a short fuse I thought I'd better try to take it in.

"Basically you have to work it out for yourself. I've always been capable of quick runs, but now I'm trying to be a bit more patient.

"I had a shocker in Dubai, but it's a great feeling to have got runs here."

Durham briefly looked as though they thought victory was going to come too easily when Kent resumed still 100 behind with two wickets left on Saturday.

Off the first four overs from Gibson and Onions Kent scored 40 runs, with Min Patel passing 50 as he pulled the first two balls of Onions' second over for four.

On a lovely sunny morning there were barely 20 spectators, but one of them shouted in Gibson's second over: "Take him off, we want to go home."

After 26 minutes Patel was bowled by Gibson's slower ball for 61 and two balls later Robbie Joseph fell lbw to his fellow West Indian for the second time in the match.

Durham had reserve wicketkeeper Garry Park behind the stumps, having sent for him because of Mustard's finger injury on Thursday, when it looked as though the game could well into the fourth day.

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