IF DURHAM held any title aspirations after winning three of their first four games they have receded following the second reality check of the season.

The defeat at Lord's exposed some frailties and yesterday provided further confirmation that they cannot expect to finish higher in the table than Warwickshire.

Although Durham remain second, they picked up only their three bowling points from their fourth successive Edgbaston defeat and the hosts are now breathing down their necks with a game in hand.

Despite an excellent century by Mark Stoneman and an enterprising knock of 49 from Paul Coughlin, Durham lost by eight wickets.

Keith Barker followed his 102 not out and four for 54 in the first innings by finishing with five for 103. One more wicket would have seen him become only the third player to score a century and take ten wickets in a match for Warwickshire.

His tally against Durham is 49 wickets in nine games, prior to which they enjoyed a run of good results against Warwickshire.

It culminated with an innings win at Edgbaston four years ago following centuries by Will Smith and Dale Benkenstein, plus 99 by Ian Blackwell.

In view of the wage bill being halved since then it would be folly to set sights too high, but next week's trip to Worcester offers a clear opportunity to stay among the front-runners.

It also presents a chance to blood reserve wicketkeeper Stuart Poynter with Phil Mustard's form showing no sign of returning.

The alternative is to hand the gloves back to Michael Richardson with Ryan Pringle coming in to offer a second spin option as well as extra depth in the batting. This was another match in which Scott Borthwick's bowling barely featured.

His two overs in the first innings cost 24 and with Warwickshire needing 63 to win yesterday he came on at 35 for two and bowled a no-ball, a long hop and a full toss in his first over. He needs long spells, but once 11 had come off his second over the game was up.

Stoneman made 111, with the figure known as Nelson proving to be his Waterloo as he was sunk by his own misjudgement, setting off for a very risky single when Coughlin pushed towards mid-on.

Another sad moment saw Mustard depart for eight, edging Barker to third slip. Since being briefly promoted to No 5 at the start of last season, when he began with 91 at Northampton, he has made two half-centuries and otherwise has not passed 25.

Paul Collingwood added only three to his overnight 16 before he was adjudged lbw to a ball from Rikki Clarke which nipped back. The Durham captain's reaction smacked more of disagreement than disappointment.

Stoneman, on 83 overnight, was initally fluent.  He square drove Barker for his 15th four and turned the next ball behind square for two to complete his century off 179 balls.

He then dug in and allowed Coughlin to dominate the scoring with some confident strokes. If Durham were going to save the game they needed this partnership to flourish, but Stoneman had to trudge sadly off when the fielder at short mid-wicket rushed in to beat his attempt to scramble back.

Coughlin didn't let the incident unsettle him and continued to drive fearlessly in a stand of 52 with John Hastings, which took Durham 39 runs into profit.

But the last three wickets went down for 23 after lunch, of which Chris Rushworth scored 19. Coughlin played back and edged to second slip off  Clarke, who had taken the new ball as Richard Jones had a foot injury.  Hastings drove Clarke straight to extra cover and Barker wrapped up the innings on 327 when he had Rushworth expertly pouched by Clarke at second slip.

Of Barker's nine wickets six were caught in the slips, two lbw and one bowled. 

Will Porterfield was sent in to open for Warwickshire and after skying an attempted pull off Rushworth's first ball over the slips he attempted a repeat and lobbed a catch to mid-wicket.

It became 12 for two when Jonathan Trott was run out by a deflection at the non-striker's end, but Ian Westwood somehow survived a searching examination by Rushworth to remain unbeaten on 32