DURHAM didn’t really need any assistance this morning in their one-sided contest against Worcestershire, but before a ball was bowled the hosts lost one of their overnight batsmen.

Adrian Shankar, a former Lancashire second X1 player who was signed only last week, had to be stretchered back to the pavilion when a knee gave way during fielding practice.

He didn’t bat as Worcestershire were dismissed for 217 and followed on 370 behind, reaching 18 for no wicket at lunch.

Further evidence that luck tends to come your way when you least need it was provided by Steve Harmison taking the first wicket of the day through the second leg side catch of the innings by Phil Mustard.

As with Moeen Ali, it was a left-hander who fell as Gareth Andrew clipped the ball for the wicketkeeper to hold a good right-handed catch.

Worcestershire appeared to have no inclination to dig in for dear life as Ben Scott, the wicketkeeper on loan from Middlesex, and Damien Wright then put on 51 in seven overs.

Harmison, Callum Thorp and Ruel Brathwaite all suffered, but it couldn’t last and Wright sliced a drive at Brathwaite low to gully, where Thorp held an excellent catch.

In the next over Scott fell for 37 when he tried to cut Ben Stokes and got a bottom edge into his stumps.

Finally Richard Jones hit Scott Borthwick for a lofted four then went for another big hit and skied to Mustard. Harmison finished with four for 67 from 18 overs.