CLOSE OF PLAY REPORT - DAY THREE
Middlesex 1st inns: 196 all out
Middlesex 2nd inns: 280 all out
Durham 1st inns: 169 all out
Durham 2nd inns: 134 for 5
NEIL Dexter's 13th first-class century helped Middlesex take command of their match against Durham at Chester-le-Street, although their victory march was delayed by Scott Borthwick.
Needing 308 to win, Durham go into the final day on 134 for five with Borthwick unbeaten on 68. They are 16 points behind their second-placed visitors and, although unlikely, victory could take them ahead with Middlesex running the risk of a points deduction.
Their over-rate was reading minus four when they finally turned to Ollie Rayner four overs from the close.
Batting was easier under clear skies than on the first day and a half, but Middlesex persevered with seam as their trio of Tim Murtagh, Toby Roland-Jones and James Harris proved the more effective unit.
Despite Chris Rushworth recording his seventh five-wicket haul of the season, the fact that he finished with five for 49 underlined a lack of support as Middlesex totalled 280 in their second innings.
Graham Onions added two wickets to his seven in the first innings, but John Hastings was clearly struggling after playing in every match this season and debut boy James Weighell remained wicketkless.
Durham had to turn to the spinners after the only wicket in the first 90 minutes came from a ball well wide of leg stump, which Dawid Malan was adjudged to have nicked to the wicketkeeper.
Ryan Pringle conceded 19 in his first three overs, Dexter driving him over long-on for six to celebrate his century, in which his fluent driving saw his second 50 come off 55 balls.
But when the off-spinner went round the wicket Dexter nibbled at one outside off stump and edged behind to depart for 112.
Borthwick came on for the next over and struck with his first ball, a full toss which had John Simpson lbw when he missed an attempted sweep.
Ollie Rayner failed to heed the lesson as he went the same way in the leg-spinner's next over.
Three wickets had gone down for one run and only nine more were added before Roland-Jones lofted Onions gently to mid-off.
Reserve wicketkeeper Stuart Poynter, briefly substituting for Mark Stoneman, dropped it and a further 51 were added before Rushworth took the last two wickets with the new ball. It was the second costly miss of the innings as Malan was dropped first ball and made 63.
Durham's rookie opener Graham Clark bagged a pair when he edged the second ball he faced from Roland-Jones and the rest were all lbw.
Only Paul Collingwood, who made 20, looked likely to give prolonged support to Borthwick, who rarely looked troubled in reaching his eighth championship 50 of the season off 95 balls.
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TEA REPORT - DAY THREE
Middlesex 1st inns: 196 all out
Middlesex 2nd inns: 280 all out
Durham 1st inns: 169 all out
Durham 2nd inns: 21 for 2
CHRIS Rushworth's seventh five-wicket haul of the season earned him a Durham record, but they were still left to chase 308 to beat Middlesex at Chester-le-Street.
The target looked even more daunting when Graham Clark bagged a pair, edging the second ball he faced from Toby Roland-Jones to John Simpson.
Three overs later Mark Stoneman fell lbw to Tim Murtagh for 12 as Durham scrambled to tea on 21 for two.
In the first three innings of the match the third wicket fell on 18, seven and 13, but under clear skies conditions were much better for batting today.
In taking five for 49 as the visitors were dismissed for 280, Rushworth reached 82 first-class wickets for Durham this season, two more than Ottis Gibson's 2007 record.
He claimed the record by bowling Roland-Jones in the third over with the new ball to end a ninth-wicket stand of 60 with James Harris. They added 51 after Roland-Jones survived a sitter to mid-off on four.
The fielder was reserve wicketkeeper Stuart Poynter, briefly on the field for Stoneman, and the bowler was Graham Onions, who also suffered when Dawid Malan was dropped first ball before going on to make 63.
In scoring 23 Roland-Jones played very sensibly against some accurate leg-spin from Scott Borthwick, who took two for 19 in 13 overs.
Harris made 41 before he was brilliantly caught by Paul Collingwood, diving to his left at first slip to give Rushworth his fifth wicket.
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LUNCH REPORT - DAY THREE
Middlesex 1st inns: 196 all out
Middlesex 2nd inns: 219 for 8
Durham 1st inns: 169 all out
AFTER a day and a half in which the Chester-le-Street pitch was a seamers' paradise, Durham had to turn to the spinners on a sunny morning after a Neil Dexter century put Middlesex in command.
The only wicket in the first 90 minutes came from a poor ball, but from 212 for five, leading by 241, Middlesex lost three wickets for one run. They reached lunch on 219 for eight.
Dexter's second 50 came off only 55 balls and he celebrated his 13th first-class hundred by driving Ryan Pringle over long-on for six. But when the off-spinner went round the wicket Dexter nibbled at one outside off stump and edged behind to depart for 112.
Scott Borthwick came on for the next over and struck with his first ball, a full toss which had John Simpson lbw when his missed an attempted sweep.
Ollie Rayner failed to heed the lesson as he went the same way in the leg-spinner's next over.
Batting looked much more straightforward than yesterday as Dexter dominated in extending his stand with Dawid Malan to 110.
Malan looked aghast to be given out caught behind for 63 after chasing a ball from Graham Onions which was well wide of leg stump.
Dexter reached 50 off 76 balls with an all-run four and continued to drive fluently while Simpson dug in.
With John Hastings still struggling Durham were short of resources and the introduction of Pringle did not initially look promising as he conceded 19 in his first three overs.
But the three quick wickets kept Durham afloat, leaving Jamie Harris and Toby Roland-Jones to take Middlesex through to lunch.
