MARTIN Love passed 1,000 championship runs for the season as he and Jimmy Daley carried Durham to a seven-wicket win at Kidderminster on Sunday.

The second win of the season halted a run of three defeats in four games but probably comes too late to raise serious hopes of promotion.

Another win against bottom club Derbyshire, starting at the Riverside on Wednesday, will do no harm. But with three of the last four games at home it will be asking a lot of Durham's threadbare attack to bowl sides out twice.

This was the first time they had won a game by dismissing the opposition twice since beating Derbyshire at Darlington over a year ago.

While Danny Law bowled extremely well to complete his third five-wicket haul in five games on Saturday, it was a shoddy effort by Worcestershire to be dismissed for 147.

Durham were left needing 115 to win and would have had time to complete the job on Saturday had rain not started to fall just as Worcestershire's last wicket fell.

Fortunately, they were greeted by sunshine and the clouds were more fleecy than threatening.

Durham were 113 for three from 28 overs at lunch, when cricket showed its capacity for farce by taking the break at the scheduled time with only two runs needed.

Phil Weston, a promising left-arm quick bowler until developing back trouble, bowled two slow deliveries after lunch, off which the necessary runs were taken.

There was an early scare when skipper Jon Lewis fell lbw to the day's fourth ball from pacy Australian Andy Bichel. Bit Love survived a couple of edges close to the slips to score the 17 he needed to reach 1,000 and speed on to his 11th championship half-century of the season and his second of the match.

He reached 50 off 50 balls with nine fours, but yet again he got out, cutting loosely to backward point for 58 with 25 still needed.

The ease with which he picked up runs in both innings made a mockery of the low scoring. With more than a day lost to the weather, coupled with a 1.40 finish yesterday, the actual play lasted little more than two days.

Daley was beaten a couple of times by Bichel, but generally looked comfortable in making 38, his highest score in seven championship innings this season.

Only 11 were needed when he was lbw in left-arm spinner Matt Rawnsley's first over, trying to work the ball on the leg side off the back foot.

Once Love had settled in, Worcestershire looked resigned to their fate, which was effectively sealed by Law's opening burst on Saturday.

A deficit of 33 should not have been of huge concern to the hosts, but in warm, cloudy conditions the ball again swung and Law took three prime wickets before the arrears had been wiped off.

He had Phil Weston lbw for two, then after Graeme Hick stroked a couple of imperious boundaries he edged an out-swinger to Andrew Pratt and Vikram Solanki went the same way two balls later. Solanki, so impressive in Tuesday's floodlit clash, lasted a total of three balls in the match.

Law had three for 18 in his first seven overs and when James Brinkley replaced Nicky Hatch he struck with his third ball, which David Leatherdale sliced to gully, where Michael Gough took a good catch.

At 68 for four after 30 overs Graeme Bridge was given two overs before lunch. Considering it was his only bowl of the match, Durham did well to avoid a points deduction for a slow over-rate.

They recalled Law and Hatch after the interval, and with a chilly wind suddenly whipping up the ball stopped swinging and 23 runs came off three overs.

But after a stand of 60 both opener Anurag Singh and left-hander Paul Pollard became over-confident. Pollard drove at a very full ball from Hatch and saw his middle stump removed via an inside edge, then Singh followed for 57, driving at Law and edging to Love at second slip.

It was one of four good catches Love held in the match after going through most of the season with few chances.

The loss of their fifth wicket pair in successive overs undermined Worcestershire's will to survive and Bichel top edged a pull at Hatch to be caught by Collingwood, running back from first slip.

Law's fifth wicket came courtesy of Steve Rhodes shouldering arms and having his off bail trimmed, then Brinkley returned to take the last two wickets.

Law showed great stamina to get through 21 overs at good pace and take five for 52. With eight wickets in the match and 64 crucial runs he was the match-winner.

Skipper Lewis said: "I was very pleased with our bowling discipline, which was probably the difference between the sides. "The pitch wasn't quick but it had good carry, which was shown by the number of catches we took from edges.

"The ball swung throughout, so there were always likely to be edges and we backed up the bowlers with some good catches.

"Martin Love made some of his look ridiculously easy, but he's livid with himself for getting out in the 50s again.

"Jimmy played well. His feet weren't moving properly at Lord's, but today he looked like he did at the beginning of the season."

Steve Harmison has just started training again after recovering from his chest infection. But Wednesday will be a fraction too soon for him, and Durham will probably be unchanged.