DURHAM began their final match of the season by winning the toss for the 14th time in 16 championship games and reached 83 for two at lunch against Worcestershire at Chester-le-Street.

Bowling in the strong wind would have seemed about as appealing as spending an hour in a dentist’s chair, but Alan Richardson and West Indian Kemar Roach made the Durham openers struggle.

Michael Di Venuto was lucky to survive two successive balls in the second over as Richardson had him dropped at gully on one by Gareth Andrew then a confident lbw appeal was turned down.

Di Venuto went on to make 33 before Andrew had him lbw, then Mark Stoneman fell for 15 in the final over before lunch. He had already survived one appeal in the over when shouldering arms to a ball from Richardson which would have gone over the top. But he did it again and was adjudged lbw.

Will Smith scored only three runs in the first 75 minutes then edged an attempted pull off Richard Jones over first slip for four. He was unbeaten on 28 at lunch.

Meanwhile, leaders Warwickshire were 70 for one at the Rose Bowl and second-placed Lancashire had reduced Somerset to 89 for three at Taunton.