Warwickshire v Durham (County Championship) : Day Three

GRAHAM Onions yesterday confirmed that when England want to blood another paceman off the Durham conveyor belt he will be ready to step up.

The 24-year-old seamer took a magnificent eight for 101, the second best figures in Durham's first-class history, as edged catches gave him all five of Warwickshire's remaining wickets.

They were all out for 335, to which Durham replied with 214 for five, with Dale Benkenstein unbeaten on 57, in a rain-ruined match which should end in a draw today.

But it will stay long in the memory of Onions, who had been overshadowed by England duo Steve Harmison and Liam Plunkett in last week's win against Kent, when they took 17 wickets between them.

"It's very hard when people are comparing you with Steve Harmison," he said. "With those two in the team I was not getting the amount of overs I would like to bowl.

"I did well in Bangladesh with England A in the winter when the captain threw the ball to me all the time and I was thriving on that.

"I wanted to prove I had learnt a lot and I was maybe trying a bit too hard, which is not a good thing if it makes you tense up."

The only better figures for Durham were Melvyn Betts' nine for 64 at Northampton in 1997, while the only other eight-wicket haul was by current bowling coach Alan Walker, who took eight for 118 at Chelmsford in 1995.

Onions said: "I saw Kabir Ali had taken eight wickets the other day and thought what a massive boost it would give your confidence to do that.

"It's important that I learn as quickly as I can. One of the things I still need to work on is bowling in the middle overs. We bowled well at the start of the Warwickshire innings and when we had them 23 for four it was a great opportunity. But I had bowled eight overs off the belt and as a fast bowler you have to leave a little bit in the tank.

"The pitch seemed to improve and they played really well. I always felt I could get Alex Loudon caught behind, but once he got in everything hit the middle of his bat."

Onions took all his wickets with a new ball, following Thursday's opening spell of three for 21 with five for 24 in 7.2 overs after coming on for the 81st over yesterday.

He also had a spell of none for 56 during the extraordinary Warwickshire innings, which featured a fifth-wicket stand of 229 and 34 by the nightwatchman. Six batsmen mustered four runs between them.

As is often the case with an attacking bowler, Onions bowled a few loose ones inbetween the wicket-taking balls and might well bowl better for much less reward.

He had the good fortune any bowler needs yesterday in finding the edge whereas Mark Davies had repeatedly gone past the bat earlier.

Durham were in danger of being embarrassed by nightwatchman James Anyon as he scored twice as quickly as the brilliant Kumar Sangakarra in the first 40 minutes.

The score had advanced to 295 for five after 80 overs when Onions came on to take the new ball and eight runs had come off his first four balls when Anyon slashed him square to the off side boundary to reach 34.

But when the next ball cramped him for room he backed away and edged to Phil Mustard.

Sangakkara went threequarters of the way to the pavilion to meet his new partner, Tim Ambrose, but two balls into Onions' next over the Sri Lankan was gone for 149.

He failed to get forward to a ball which he edged behind, and eight overs later the same tasty combination of Mustard and Onions saw off Ambrose for 15.

Warwickshire's last two both made their best scores at Riverside - Tim Groenewald's 76 coming last year, while Dale Steyn made 82 as a nightwatchman for Essex in 2005.

This time neither South African troubled the scorers, Groenewald edging to Benkenstein at first slip before Steyn went first ball when he became Mustard's fifth victim.

Durham's reply began shakily when Michael Di Venuto edged a drive to fall for nine, but the recalled Gordon Muchall played well in a stand of 59 and it was a disappointment that he and Will Smith departed in quick succession.

Both need a good score and were well set, but Smith edged a drive into his stumps on 38 and Muchall pushed forward and edged Darren Maddy to first slip for 30.

There was a 25-minute break for rain in mid-afternoon, but the sun shone afterwards and just when Kyle Coetzer was really starting to flourish he holed out at deep mid-wicket for 46.

When Loudon's off-spin was introduced Mustard wafted at one and edged to slip.

Durham visit Northampton in the Friends Provident Trophy tomorrow, when they will bring in Gareth Breese. Callum Thorp is likely to be ruled out by a back injury.

SCORECARD

Warwickshire v Durham at Edgbaston.

Overnight: Warwickshire 267-5 (K C Sangakkara
137 no, A G R Loudon 105).

Warwickshire First Innings
K C Sangakkara c Mustard b Onions 149
J E Anyon c Mustard b Onions 34
T R Ambrose c Mustard b Onions 15
H H Streak not out 16
T D Groenewald c Benkenstein b Onions 0
D W Steyn c Mustard b Onions 0
Extras (lb8 nb4 pens 0) 12
Total (94.2 overs) 335
Fall: 1-1 2-1 3-19 4-23 5-252 6-303 7-304
8-329 9-335
Bowling: Onions 26.2-8-101-8. Gibson 21-6-78-
1. Davies 19-6-45-0. Killeen 18-2-69-0. Benkenstein
8-4-24-1. W R Smith 2-0-10-0.

Durham First Innings Close
W R Smith b Anyon 38
M J Di Venuto c Ambrose b Steyn 9
G J Muchall c Trott b Maddy 30
K J Coetzer c Loudon b Steyn 46
D M Benkenstein not out 57
P Mustard c Maddy b Loudon 16
G T Park not out 7
Extras (b2 lb2 w1 nb6) 11
Total 5 wkts (72 overs) 214
Fall: 1-21 2-80 3-82 4-159 5-195
To Bat: O D Gibson, M Davies, N Killeen, G
Onions.
Bonus Pts: Warwickshire 3 Durham 3
Bowling: Steyn 15-1-58-2. Anyon 18-4-55-1.
Streak 12-3-28-0. Maddy 8-3-19-1. Groenewald
9-3-33-0. Trott 2-1-5-0. Loudon 8-1-12-1.