LESS than half a day's play was possible at Chester-le-Street yesterday, but it was enough for Chris Rushworth to claim four lbw victims and become division one's leading wicket-taker.

Warwickshire replied to Durham's 314 with 167 for seven with all but one of the batsmen being out lbw. Two more today would equal the record for a first-class innings.

Rushworth moved one ahead of Middlesex's James Harris on 51 championship wickets and also took five against Durham University.

The Durham record number of first-class wickets in a season is 80 by Ottis Gibson in 2007 and Rushworth said: “I know about that because Gibbo's always reminding us.

“But I'm not really looking at that as a target – I'm just taking each day as it comes. Milestones are good but the main thing is to help put Durham in a winning position.”

Of his 51 victims 23 have been lbw and he added: “I've tried to hit the stumps a bit more this season rather than swing the ball away and it helps with the lbws.

“They were perfect conditions for bowling today with a bit of swing and movement off the seam. The rain breaks help to keep you fresh but when you're on top you'd rather stay out there and keep them under pressure.

“We probably went looking for wickets a bit too hard at one stage instead of being patient and we let them off the hook a bit.”

Warwickshire recovered from 40 for four through a stand of 98 between Sam Hain and Tim Ambrose.

Hain, who is 20 on Thursday, must have impressed watching selector James Whitaker as he made 57 in difficult conditions before Durham snared him in a leg-side trap.

He was the only batsman not out lbw as he was brilliantly caught by Keaton Jennings, six yards from the bat just in front of square.

John Hastings, bowling round the wicket, had also posted a leg gully and two men out for the miscued hook.

But it was a push off his hip which brought Hain's downfall as Jennings grabbed the chance to his right.

Only 4.2 overs were bowled in the morning, but Rushworth took three wickets in seven balls before a four glanced very fine by Hain prevented a hat-trick.

Virtually the only other shot he didn't middle in a high-class innings was the edge for his fifth four which took him to 50 off 94 balls.

All Rushworth's victims were right-handers beaten by balls moving into them, but Hain got resolutely into line and showed excellent judgement of what to leave.

When play began at noon Varun Chopra shouldered arms to the second ball, which nipped back to hit him around knee height.

The visiting captain didn't appear to like David Millns' decision and there may have been an element of atonement after the umpire's error in giving out Paul Collingwood on the first day.

He gave five of yesterday's lbw verdicts, but there was little argument about any of the others.

The first ball of Rushworth's second over pinned Jonathan Webb in front on the back foot then the next ball brushed Laurie Evans' pad and Millns had no hesitation in raising the finger.

He also gave out Ambrose, who made 41, and Rikki Clarke, the exception being Ian Westwood.

The left-hander fell for 19 to Hastings' fourth ball in the first over after lunch and the same bowler had another big shout turned down by Graham Lloyd before Ambrose cut him for two fours and drove two more through extra cover.

There were two more interruptions before the fifth-wicket pair departed in successive overs after tea, Ambrose falling to a Collingwood in-swinger.

Chris Woakes was on 12 and Jeetan Patel four when bad light, then drizzle, ended a day on which 43.3 overs were bowled.