STEPHEN Harmison is unlikely to find the Australians emulating the Gloucestershire tail-enders by threatening to trample on square leg, but as a prelude to his Ashes tour his efforts at Bristol yesterday were most encouraging.

His first five-wicket haul since July last year was an accurate reflection of his pace and accuracy as he carried an otherwise innocuous Durham attack against Gloucestershire. The hostile Harmison finished with five for 65, but with Ian Hunter absent with a hamstring injury Michael Gough was the best of the rest and the hosts totalled 359.

Facing a deficit of 143, Gough and Gary Pratt then shared their seventh half-century stand in six matches and this time went on to Durham's first three-figure opening partnership of the season.

The hundred came up from four overthrows as Gough, on 54, took a sharp single and the backing-up was found wanting as Gloucestershire became increasingly ragged.

Gough, again playing well on both sides of the wicket, particularly through square leg, ensured that his average will stay above 50 for the eight championship matches he has played this season by finishing on 70 not out.

He reached his 83-ball half-century by hammering left-arm spinner Ian Fisher straight down the ground then driving the next ball sweetly to the extra cover boundary. Pratt also played some high-class strokes and maintained his concentration until the 32nd over, when he tried to sweep Fisher and top edged to backward square leg for 41. Brad Hodge kept Gough company until bad light ended play 13 minutes early when Durham were 120 for one, 23 behind. Following Jack Russell's six catches on the first day, Andrew Pratt collected five for Durham, four of them off Harmison.

The first of the day came in the fourth over when Craig Spearman tried to cut a ball from eyebrow level, and it was a surprise that Hodge gave Harmison only two more overs before resting him.

This allowed Russell to settle in for a stand of 120 with 21-year-old Alex Gidman and it was a huge surprise when Russell fell for 35, nine short of reaching 1,000 first-class runs for only the second time.

For someone so adept at leaving the ball, it was a major aberration when he chased a wide one from Ian Pattison and edged to Pratt.

This was the only success for Pattison, who followed his encouraging bowling display against Essex last week by conceding 69 runs in ten overs.

When he passed 50 in his seventh over he had been hit for 11 fours, including the pull and on-drive off consecutive balls which took Gidman to his 63-ball 50. Gidman was on 73 when he almost became Gary Pratt's latest run-out victim, only for the swoop and direct hit from cover to result in four overthrows as it ricocheted to the boundary.

Cricket was not meant to be fair, but this is the cruellest rule of all.

Gidman moved on to 96 before he turned Gough into the hands of Gordon Muchall at forward short leg and Gough finished with two for 22 in 11 overs after Roger Sillence's attempted paddle to leg somehow ended up in Ashley Thorpe's hands at slip. Jonathan Lewis showed no inclination to get into line against Harmison, preferring to offer a horizontal bat from a healthy distance, and eventually edged to the wicketkeeper.

Pratt's final catch wrapped up the innings, this time running back 20 yards to collect a skied pull from Fisher.

Read more about Durham here.