THE forecast for light rain through the middle of the day proved accurate as it stopped play after 50 minutes when Durham had added 40 runs to reach 362 for six. It was later announced that play would resume at 4.15.

Mark Stoneman again batted with Gordon Muchall as his runner because of the thigh strain he suffered in the fourth over of the match. But other than when he edged Chris Woakes just short of first slip on 27 there were no alarms for Durham.

Ian Blackwell twice drove Woakes to the cover boundary in the first over and advanced from 107 to 129, while Stoneman moved on from 21 to 37.