IT was a rare sight indeed when Dale Benkenstein’s stumps were splattered this morning by the perfect late in-swinging yorker from Charlie Shreck.

Durham’s Mr Reliable had put on 81 with Ian Blackwell after they came together at 36 for three, but both departed in quick succession to trigger the alarm bells again. And when three more wickets went down in the last three overs before lunch Durham went into the break on 191 for eight.

There is more life in the Trent Bridge pitch than the others they have played on so far this season, and the attacking cricket it encourages could yet producing an interesting contest.

Shreck’s impressive 23-over spell – broken by tea, bed, breakfast and bad light – was about to come to an end after Benkenstein’s exit and Nottinghamshire’s change bowlers were not in the same class.

If there was any cause for alarm no-one told Ben Stokes, who will be 19 in three weeks. The talented Cumbrian was joined by the equally unflappable Phil Mustard in a stand of 59.

Unfortunately, Stokes proved too relaxed when left-arm spinner Samit Patel came on to bowl ten minutes before lunch. The youngster, on 32, advanced down the track to the first ball, which turned to beat his intended drive and hit off stump.

Ben Harmison played out the rest of the over but Mustard departed in the next, edging Paul Franks to wicketkeeper Chris Read for 31. Then Liam Plunkett fell to a bat-pad catch off Patel to take Durham into lunch on a disappointing note.