Openers Cameron Bancroft and Alex Lees put together Durham’s highest opening partnership of the season as the visitors, facing a first innings deficit of 95, batted themselves firmly back into the game at tea on the second day of their Specsavers County Championship match against Leicestershire at the Fischer County Ground.

Bancroft hit four boundaries and Lees five as Durham followed up the good work of bowlers Chris Rushworth, who finished with 5-55, and Ben Raine (4-49) in bowling Leicestershire out for 212 earlier in the day.

Resuming on their overnight score of 124-4, the Foxes quickly lost Harry Dearden, who had added just four to his overnight score when he edged Rushworth to Bancroft at second slip.

Lewis Hill had made only 8 when he was leg before to a delivery from Raine which both seamed back in and kept a little low, and there was a first first-class wicket for debutant left-arm seamer Jack Campbell when Gavin Griffiths edged a delivery pushed across him low to Bancroft, again at second slip.

Ackermann, playing with unaccustomed deliberation, pulled Campbell to the midwicket boundary to reach his 50 off 152 deliveries, but Rushworth quickly cleaned up the long Foxes’ tail, pinning Chris Wright leg before, getting Will Davis caught behind and then bowling Mohammad Abbas to leave Ackermann unbeaten on 62.