ECSTASY turned to deep frustration for Durham on the final afternoon of their championship programme on Saturday.

They looked certain to complete the double over Worcestershire and finish the season with a second successive win when they had the visitors reeling on 63 for seven.

But stubborn Yorkshireman Steve Rhodes found a gritty ally in Chris Liptrot and they were scarcely troubled as the accuracy of Durham's seamers deserted them.

The eighth wicket pair survived for 28 overs and the visitors closed on 85 for seven. With 11 points each from a draw, Worcestershire need only one point from their final match to climb above Durham, who will finish next to the bottom if Nottinghamshire take five points from their match against Hampshire.

That looks like a return to the bad old days, but the absence of key bowlers has been very damaging.

It has allowed others to emerge, but when it came to the crunch on Saturday older heads were needed.

Danny Law bowled an excellent six-over spell either side of tea, but when he was rested to protect his sore toe everything changed when Stephen Harmison returned and bowled two overs of garbage.

He had initially raised hopes by removing Anurag Singh and Graeme Hick in his first and third overs, only for the infuriating inconsistency which has plagued his season to return just when he had the chance of a little glory.

For most of his innings left-hander Liptrot faced the left-arm spin of Graeme Bridge, who had to bowl into the stiff wind.

Liptrot took his only single from 81 balls when Harmison briefly replaced Bridge, while Rhodes batted more than two hours for 21.

There was a phalanx of slip fielders for most of that time, but neither Harmison, Nicky Hatch nor Ian Hunter could find the edge. Law returned for two overs at the end, but by that stage Rhodes looked immovable.

Worcestershire's top order crumbled after being set a victory target of 251 in 55 overs.

Steep bounce from Harmison and Hatch accounted for both openers, then Hick followed his 200 not out by cutting and pulling successive balls from Harmison for four.

ut in going for another cut in the same over he found himself cramped for room and edged to wicketkeeper Andrew Pratt.

David Leatherdale also went for a cut and edged Hunter to Pratt, then Law gained two lbw verdicts as, for once, it seemed the whole seam attack was working in perfect harmony.

Worcestershire were 45 for six at tea and had moved on to 60 when Bridge replaced Hunter and turned a perfectly-pitched ball to bowl Vikram Solanki in his first over.

It looked all over as Harmison returned for the next over with skipper Jon Lewis expecting him to apply the killer blows.

But he seemed more intent on knocking out Rhodes than bowling him out and was warned after three short deliveries, which in truth were too wayward to frighten such an experienced battler.

It will be extremely interesting to see what Rod Marsh makes of Harmison this winter in the National Academy.

Hopefully, he will come back a little more like Queenslander Andy Bichel, who showed how to bowl with aggression in five very lively overs in the morning.

Sparingly used presumably with yesterday in mind, he did not come on until the day's 20th over and ended an excellent innings of 68 by Paul Collingwood by forcing him to fend to second slip.

Durham, resuming on 99 for two, added 96 in 32 overs to reach lunch on 195 for four with Martin Love making 62.

It was Love's 14th championship half-century, but the second century he craved eluded him when left-armer Alamgir Sheriyar went round the wicket and bowled him.

Love finished with 1,364 championship runs at an average of 50.6 but was 53 short of Wayne Larkins' Durham record.

There had been no urgency to start in the morning, when the odd spot of rain delayed proceedings by half an hour, and there was still no urgency when Jimmy Daley and Law failed to take a run off the last three overs before lunch.

They came out afterwards with all guns blazing and gave away three wickets before Hunter's unbeaten 18 off 16 balls ensured that 42 runs came from eight overs to set up the declaration on 237 for seven.

It looked a reasonable target, but by the time Worcestershire were 15 for three in the fifth over their thoughts were turning to survival.