DURHAM won the toss for the sixth time in seven championship games and reached 115 for two at lunch against Warwickshire at Edgbaston.

Will Smith was still there on 41 as he looks for the big score he needs with Mark Stoneman now fit to return after his broken hand.

Michael Di Venuto showed there is still some sportsmanship in the game when we walked without being given out.

He had made 18 when he tried to withdraw his bat from a ball by Naqqash Tahir. He knew he had nicked it and off he went.

Following his 175 at Worcester, Gordon Muchall raced to 22 before edging Rikki Clarke’s fourth ball to Darren Maddy at first slip.

On a blustery day Warwickshire were unlikely to relish being in the field with a modest attack on what looked a flat pitch after the poor surface for their last home match resulted in an eight-point deduction.

While the ECB decreed that Graham Onions had to rest, they have allowed Warwickshire to play Will Porterfield and Boyd Rankin for two days before going off to join the Ireland squad.

There is a strong feeling that if such things are to be allowed like-for-like replacements must be brought in. But Warwickshire have nominated two bowlers, Andrew Miller and Keith Barker, to take over.

On the ground where he made 150 not out on Sunday, Ben Stokes moved comfortably to 26 at lunch.