WHEN Durham included Scott Borthwick in their team at Basingstoke it was a clear indication that they were gambling on winning the toss on a dry pitch which is likely to break up.

Losing the toss was therefore a considerable blow and Durham can only hope that they don’t have too many to chase when batting last.

They didn’t get the start they needed when Michael Carberry, who made a century at Emirates Durham this season, survived a very sharp chance to Dale Benkenstein at third slip off Steve Harmison with his score on eight.

Normally a fluent stroke-player, Carberry grafted his way through the morning to reach lunch on 54, with Hampshire on 99 for one.

Whenever the ball hit the middle of the bat it sped across the parched outfield, but there was much playing and missing and Callum Thorp was extremely unlucky not to take a wicket. Jimmy Adams hit him for two fours in his first over but he conceded only seven more runs in a seven-over spell and had two confident lbw appeals turned down.

Harmison had Jimmy Adams caught behind for 18 with the total on 31 in the 11th over, then Michael Lumb almost departed for four when he edged Liam Plunkett just short of Michael Di Venuto at second slip.

With Mitch Claydon having made way for Borthwick, Durham brought on Ben Stokes first change. His seven-over spell was the first time he had bowled more than two overs in the championship since mid-May.