THE grand old ground at Worcester took time to unveil its glories yesterday, but as the clouds cleared so did any doubts which might have afflicted Gordon Muchall.

While his one-day form has been outstanding, Muchall had failed to advance significantly any of his previous four championship half-centuries.

He might have been unsettled yesterday by a mix-up which resulted in the running out of Ben Stokes for five, leaving Durham on 43 for three. But he and Ian Blackwell blossomed as the sun came out, both scoring centuries as the revival took the score to 360 for four.

Other than Stokes, the other men out fell to slip catches. But Vikram Solanki, who held two of them, put down both the fifth-wicket pair in their unbroken stand of 242.

It was a record fifth-wicket partnership for Durham in first-class cricket, beating the 222 put on by Dale Benkenstein and Gareth Breese against Middlesex at Lord's in 2006.

Muchall was dropped at slip on 52 and capitalised with fierce cuts and sumptuous drives. Some were stroked through the covers, others punched straight down the ground, like the one-off Gareth Andrew who produced his 14th four and brought up his 11th first-class century off 170 balls.

He remained unbeaten on 152, his highest score since he made 219 at Canterbury in the first match of the 2006 season.

Blackwell, who was on 130 at the close, always looked in command with his blend of patience and belligerence, other than when he was dropped on 77.

This time a top-edged pull off Andrew soared high enough for Solanki to turn and run 20 yards towards third man. He got underneath the ball but couldn't hang on.

After his first championship century for Durham, it took Blackwell two years to score the second at home to Warwickshire two weeks ago. But now he has joined Dale Benkenstein, Michael Di Venuto and Stokes in hitting two already this season.

On a day when the winners of the toss in division one's other three games put the opposition in, Phil Mustard was not prepared to risk a repeat of last week's embarrassment, when he invited Somerset to bat and they scored 610 for six.

He might also have been influenced by the noon start following Worcestershire's appearance under the Lord's floodlights the previous night. The forecast was for the day to improve, but two interruptions helped the opening bowlers to keep going in conditions which initially favoured them.

Durham had reached 20 without loss in the fifth over when rain forced an hour's break. The rules permit an extra half hour to be played in such circumstances and as the full hour lost at the start was also to be made up on the first day it meant play did not finish until 7.55.

A cup of Horlicks and straight to bed would probably have been the recipe for Damien Wright and Alan Richardson. First and third among division one's wicket takers this season, they took their combined tally to 50 with a wicket each with the total on 24.

They bowled unchanged for 20 overs and when Richardson rested the release of pressure was obvious as 24-year-old Richard Jones conceded 26 runs in his first three overs.

Despite the edges, the ball rarely struck the pads and umpire Michael Gough was not called upon to make any decision against his former team-mates.

Wright, who has had more clubs than Jack Nicklaus, kept going for 13 overs as Worcestershire tried to extract maximum benefit from his short stay.

The 35-year-old Australian, who officially retired early this year, was persuaded to join his fifth county until Pakistan spinner Saeed Ajmal becomes available.

Wright, who has also appeared for Scotland and two Australian state sides, was a team-mate of Di Venuto's in the Tasmania side which won the Sheffield Shield for the first time in 2007.

Di Venuto failed to add to the two fours he hit off the day's first and fifth balls from Wright, who had him well caught low down at second slip by Moeen Ali, the ball moving away from the left-hander as he shaped to play through mid-wicket.

The injury-prone Richardson began to trouble Will Smith, who even took a step down the pitch to one delivery, but in the tenth over he pushed forward and edged at comfortable height to Solanki.

It became 43 for three when Stokes departed. Muchall played the ball through the covers off the back foot and had no hesitation in going back for a second run. Stokes went one stride down the pitch before saying no but Muchall was committed and they ended up at the same end.

Benkenstein contributed 33 to a stand of 75 before edging Gareth Andrew to Solanki, then Blackwell quickly began to middle the ball.

He reached 50 off 65 balls and when the off-spin of Moeen Ali was introduced two lofted drives landed just short of the rope and a cut produced a third four in the over. He completed his century off 114 balls and in the end it was impossible not to feel some sympathy for Worcestershire. The grand old ground will not be staging division one cricket next season.

SCORECARD

Worcestershire v Durham
At New Road. Durham Won Toss
Durham First Innings Close
M J Di Venuto c M M Ali b D G Wright 8
W R Smith c Solanki b Richardson 12
G J Muchall not out 152
B A Stokes run out 5
D M Benkenstein c Solanki b Andrew 33
I D Blackwell not out 130
Extras (b2 lb13 w1 nb4 pens 0) 20
Total 4 wkts (83 overs) 360
Fall: 1-24 2-24 3-44 4-118
To Bat: P Mustard, S G Borthwick, C D
Thorp, R M R Brathwaite, S J Harmison.
Bowling: D G Wright 24-5-85-1.
Richardson 22-6-59-1. R A Jones 10-1-79-
0. Andrew 16-0-63-1. M M Ali 9-0-47-0.
Cameron 2-0-12-0.