FROM rags to riches. After the last four opening partnerships – you couldn’t call them stands – had failed to reach double figures in total, Durham’s Mark Stoneman and Keaton Jennings couldn’t be parted this morning.

The second innings total was on 84 at lunch, meaning Durham lead by 144, and their only concern is the weather.

With rain forecast in late afternoon, it will reduce their chances of forcing a victory on what appears to be a placid pitch.

Adil Rashid has found some turn, twice beating Jennings with his googly, and is improving the longer he bowls, which he obviously needs to do.

There was little in it for the seamers this morning, however, although Tim Bresnan had Stoneman dropped on 11 by Jonny Bairstow. It was not a difficult chance, but Stoneman was due some luck and was on 48 at lunch.

He began in positive fashion, cutting Ryan Sidebottom’s third ball for four as the opening over yielded seven runs.

The ex-England left-armer looked a little lethargic and after two successive golden ducks Jennings was able to watch the first ball he faced pass by well wide of off stump.

Stoneman drove Bresnan’s second ball to the extra cover boundary before being dropped off the fifth and Bresnan’s misfortunes continued as his second over cost nine, accumulated slightly streakily between fourth slip and gully.

Jennings played some nice shots through the off side in reaching 34 at the break, although both batsmen failed to connect with an attempted cut off Liam Plunkett, who bowled better than in the first innings.