RICHARD Dawson again showed his liking for Riverside as he rescued Yorkshire in the top-of-the-table battle against Durham yesterday.

Dawson took nine wickets with his off-spin in Yorkshire's easy win last season and swiftly transformed yesterday's picture in a last-wicket stand of 75 in ten overs with South African Deon Kruis.

They came together at 179 for nine and when Dawson was lbw to Mick Lewis for 86 - the Australian's fourth victim - he was only one short of his career-best score.

From 70 for five, Yorkshire could be well satisfied to reach 254, to which Durham replied with 65 for three in 18 overs to leave the contest evenly poised.

Last-wicket stands have often frustrated Durham in the past, including the record of 110 between Yorkshire's Chris Silverwood and Richard Stemp at Riverside in 1996.

But such embarrassments appeared to have been consigned to the past in this season's outstanding start and it was only when Kruis set about them that Durham really missed Steve Harmison.

Their seamers had been excellent, but after Gareth Breese chipped in with a wicket he was left on and Kruis opened his account by driving the off-spinner for a straight six.

Where Yorkshire could hardly get the ball off the square in testing conditions in the morning, it was now suddenly flying to all parts.

Dawson had nine fours in his 98-ball knock as he continued the trend in Durham's home matches this season of lower-order men making runs once the ball has softened.

He finally became the third man to fall lbw playing across the line, missing a ball of almost yorker length from Lewis, who finished with four for 77.

There were a few streaky shots in the last-wicket stand, otherwise further proof that everything is going Durham's way came with the losing of the toss on such a climatically confusing day. Much better to win it on a belting pitch in high summer.

After overnight and morning rain there was bound to be moisture around, while there was also enough humidity for the ball to swing. But for the most part it was pleasantly sunny, so Craig White could not be castigated for choosing to bat.

By the time he went to the crease at 57 for four he had ample reason to question his decision, although it might have been different had Matthew Wood not got out recklessly in the second over.

He made two fluent half-centuries at Riverside last season and when Liam Plunkett's second ball was short Wood seemed intent on becoming only the second batsman, following Kevin Pietersen, to clear the pavilion.

He was through the shot too early and sent a top-edged steepler to Mick Lewis at deep backward square.

Left-hander Phil Jaques pulled the day's first four off Plunkett, but was otherwise becalmed until he lost patience and edged a drive at Lewis to Phil Mustard.

Anthony McGrath looked determined to take advantage of his good form as he grafted to 18 off 64 balls but was undone by a swinger from Paul Collingwood, falling lbw as he aimed to mid-wicket.

The first of two showers, which reduced the day's play by nine overs, came with Yorkshire on 54 for three. But a 12-minute break provided no respite as enough rain got on to the pitch to freshen it up again.

On the resumption Mark Davies had a big lbw appeal against Michael Lumb turned down, then Plunkett returned and struck with his first ball.

It lifted and left Ian Harvey, who edged to third slip for one. In six championship innings he has made 209 not out, 47, two ones and two ducks.

It was 65 for four at lunch, when rain delayed the restart by 20 minutes, and it took 33 balls to add to the total, White breaking Durham's stranglehold with a streaky four over the slips.

He and Lumb had to battle studiously to survive, just as McGrath had done, but the return of Mick Lewis saw off White as he pushed forward and edged to Mustard.

As the weather improved and the ball aged, batting began to look less hazardous as Lumb and Ismail Dawood put on 37.

But the normally fluent Lumb failed to cash in on his graft as, like Jaques, he lost patience and drove wide of off stump at Davies to give Mustard his third catch.

Dawood looked more comfortable than any of the top six as he hit five fours, mostly driven sweetly through the off-side, before playing airily across the line to fall lbw to Davies for 25.

Tim Bresnan helped Dawson put on 44 for the eighth wicket before driving to deepish mid-on to give Breese the first wicket Durham have taken with spin in the championship this season.

It was not a good omen as it set the scene for that last-wicket stand, but the runs continued to flow at the start of Durham's reply.

Skipper Mike Hussey pulled Silverwood for six and again looked in superb form as he put on 45 with Jon Lewis in ten overs.

But when Bresnan came on Hussey tried to force his first ball away off the back foot and dragged it into his stumps to fall for 25.

In Bresnan's next over Lewis looked surprised to be adjudged lbw when working to leg, then Kruis stuck another big blow three overs from the close.

A bowler more used to extracting good bounce, he shot one through at ankle height to bowl Collingwood for seven.

Durham are now relying on Gordon Muchall and Dale Benkenstein to give them a solid start today in the hope they can capitalise on the depth in their batting.