ALWAYS seeking to accentuate the positive, Durham would deny that there is any pall of gloom hanging over the club, or at least not one to match the overhead conditions at the Oval yesterday.

With all five warning lights shining after play began at 3pm, it was deemed there was just sufficient light for spinners to bowl and Ian Salisbury finished with seven for 105 as Durham were dismissed for 241.

Following on 212 behind, Durham reached ten for no wicket against Salisbury and Saqlain Mushtaq before thick drizzle returned to halt play with half an hour left.

Unless they are saved by the weather today, Durham will take only two points from the match and could be overhauled by Hampshire, who forced Derbyshire to follow on yesterday.

It was a day for seeking consolations, and top of the list is that Durham will not have to visit the Oval next season.

No doubt it was the place to be last Monday, but it can be a cheerless spot during county matches, particularly in conditions more suited to bats of the winged variety.

It has been Durham's most barren hunting ground down the years, starting with defeat by an innings and 205 runs in 1993.

Two years later it was an innings and 159, then nine wickets in 1997 and 226 runs last year.

The much pleasanter places to visit, such as Worcester, are not yet inked into the fixture list for next season because only Northants are so far sure of going up with several counties still vying for the other two promotion places.

There could be more consolations tomorrow in the shape of two one-day league batting records for Durham as they again face Surrey, who are already promoted in the National League.

Simon Katich needs 77 runs to beat Dean Jones's top aggregate for a season of 656, while John Morris's overall total of 1,496 is under a dual threat.

Paul Collingwood needs 18 to pass it and Jon Lewis 31.

Another target for Katich is to score 58 today to achieve the highest championship aggregate for Durham since Morris's 1,369 in 1994.

Currently on 1,089, the Australian might already have made it had he not been stung in the mouth with his score on nine on Thursday.

Although he wasn't sure whether it was a bee or a wasp, it flew in through the grille of his helmet and stung the inside of his bottom lip as he tried to spit it out.

Katich was in considerable pain during his innings of 77 and it is hardly surprising that he lost concentration and was stumped to become one of Salisbury's victims.

Widely considered lucky to be selected for England's winter tour of Pakistan, Salisbury spun the ball more than Saqlain but sent down enough bad balls to keep the batsmen interested.

From the overnight 165 for six, Andrew Pratt and Nicky Phillips both found the boundary several times in taking the total to 205 before they were parted.

Pratt handsomely drove the over-pitched deliveries either straight or through the covers and was only two short of his top score of 38 when he advanced half a stride to Salisbury, went within a whisker of playing on but failed to regain his ground before Jon Batty whipped off the bails.

Neil Killeen looked a little unlucky when he shouldered arms to a Salisbury googly and was adjudged lbw to a ball which might have missed off stump.

Steve Harmison was also lbw, while Phillips looked surprised to be given out caught off bat and pad off Saqlain, having made a season's-best 29.

It is rare for Saqlain to take only two wickets in an innings against Durham.

He will be hoping for several more today as Surrey close in on the victory whih will make virtually certain of the title.

l The Durham cricketers have chosen the same day as their most celebrated former player for their annual golf day.

While they tee up at Chester-le-Street Golf Club next Tuesday, sponsored by Wilsons Sports, the Ian Botham Celebrity Premier Golf Day will be staged at Slaley Hall.

Top names from North-East football, including Bobby Robson, are on Botham's guest list for an event which will raise money for the Leukaemia Research Fund and Diabetes U