EVERYONE chipped in for Durham yesterday, but it was Ottis Gibson who really made up for lost time in their attempt to secure the revenge win against Surrey which would put them in the thick of the title battle.

Further stoppages meant that more than a day's play has been lost, but thanks to Gibson's 56- ball half-century Durham will go into the final day on 325 for seven, leading by 374.

Harbhajan Singh had bowled unchanged from the Finchale End with immaculate control until Gibson chanced his arm against the Indian off-spinner in the evening.

After a few miscued shots fell into space he upset Harbhajan's rhythm and played some excellent strokes, finally driving him for a straight six to reach 50.

A declaration could be influenced by the fact that Steve Harmison is unlikely to bowl, which means a heavier workload will fall on to his brother, Ben, who played an impressive part in a seventh-wicket stand of 83.

It ended when Surrey took the new ball six overs from the close and steep bounce from Matt Nicholson forced Gibson to edge to wicketkeeper Jon Batty for 55.

For the second successive day, the start was delayed by 30 minutes, with Durham resuming on 73 without loss, 122 ahead.

Mark Stoneman added only two to his overnight 26 before he fell in the fifth over, edging a drive at Nicholson to second slip.

With Harbhajan probing away, an unusually circumspect Michael Di Venuto took 32 balls to score the six runs he needed to complete a 90-ball half-century and he added only a further 17 runs before lunch.

Kyle Coetzer hit three lovely boundaries off Nicholson before attempting to cut a ball which was too short for the shot and edging to Jon Batty for 19.

The paucity of Surrey's seam resources was underlined when Jimmy Ormond sent down four unimpressive overs then decided to bowl off-spin, his first ball evading Batty down the leg side.

Di Venuto and Shivnarine Chanderpaul successfully kept out Harbhajan, who at lunch had bowled 17 overs for 20 runs, but their eyes seemed to light up when 18-year-old Chris Jordan came on after the break.

Di Venuto pulled and cut him for fours, but then miscued another pull to mid-on to fall for 77 and four overs later Chanderpaul departed in identical fashion for 29.

Phil Mustard almost made it a hat-trick when the same shot saw him just clear mid-on after he had opened up with an imperious drive through extra cover.

Jordan could also have had Dale Benkenstein for ten, but Ormond at gully could only parry a fierce cut for four.

Durham were 209 for four when rain drove them off at 2.55, 18 overs being lost before play resumed at 4.25, with Benkenstein being warmly applauded shortly afterwards for turning down an offer to go off for bad light.

It had improved by the time the captain became the first victim for the deserving Harbhajan, who clung on to a return catch off a leading edge.

Mustard continued to pull and drive fearlessly, but after a perfect off drive for four off Harbhajan took him to 44 he aimed to drive the next one straighter and was beaten in the flight to be bowled.

Ben Harmison turned the offspinner sweetly through midwicket for four before edging him through the slips, then Gibson essayed a delightful late cut to the third man boundary off Nicholson before setting about Harbhajan, who rested only for the final three overs after the new ball was taken.