DURHAM compensated for the frustration of losing an hour to rain this morning by taking two wickets to have Middlesex rocking on 31 for four at lunch.
Nightwatchman Tom Smith is still there on 17 but Graham Onions had Joe Denly caught at second slip by Scott Borthwick and pinned Dawid Malan lbw.
Just before the scheduled start the groundstaff were battling against driving rain to lay some sheeting and when play began at 11.45 Callum Thorp had the onerous task of bowling into the strong wind.
He missed a sharp return chance offered by Denly on five but it wasn’t costly as the ex-Kent batsman added only four more.
Another shower after 30 minutes’ play was followed by bright sunshine and the ice cream van arrived at the same time as the cement mixer. Whether the workmen laying the foundations for the new stand will fancy a Mr Whippy on such a cold day is doubtful.
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