Day 1, Close: Middlesex 358/7 (95.3 overs)
Led by a composed 74 from Dawid Malan, Middlesex's top seven all passed 25 as they reached 358 for seven on the first day against Durham at Emirates Riverside.
In his first appearance since the trauma of the final over in the World T20, Ben Stokes opened with a maiden and was one of five Durham bowlers to take a wicket.
Only Graham Onions managed a second, pinning John Simpson lbw with the first delivery with the new ball, until Stokes struck again in the day's final over when he had Jamie Harris lbw.
With the ball reluctant to swing in temperatures barely above freezing, there was also little help in a placid pitch and it was no surprise that Middlesex opted for a toss in the hope of batting.
Every batsman looked comfortable, but at least three were complicit in their own downfall, the notable exception being Sam Robson.
After hitting the previous two balls for four, he had his off and middle stumps splattered by a ball from Brydon Carse which might have done him for pace.
The South Africa-born paceman also gave Nick Compton some early discomfort but leaked runs at seven an over.
This created a problem for Paul Collingwood, who relied on off-spinner Ryan Pringle to keep an end going in the afternoon.
He bowled 15 tidy overs before he started to drop short in his last three before tea, when Adam Voges hit him for five fours.
The Middlesex skipper was the third to reach 50 after Malan and left-handed opener Nick Gubbins, who cut and pulled Carse for three successive fours in passing 50 off 67 balls.
When Onions returned Gubbins tried to pull a ball from off stump which wasn't short enough for the shot and fell lbw for 60.
A similar error brought Durham's only success of the afternoon, Compton departing for 38 when he dragged an attempted pull off Pringle into his stumps.
The fourth-wicket pair had added 90 when both fell on 267. Malan opened the face and tried to work Chris Rushworth square on the off-side, only to edge to Michael Richardson.
Then Voges pushed forward to a good ball from Stokes and edged to Scott Borthwick at second slip.
A stand of 71 in 18 overs followed between Simpson and Paul Stirling, who remained unbeaten on 41
Day 1, Tea: Middlesex 256/3 (64 overs)
A very composed Dawid Malan, unbeaten on 61, led Middlesex's progress to 256 for three at tea.
Durham's only success of the afternoon owed much to a rare rush of blood from Nick Compton, who had looked just as comfortable as his partner in a stand of 76.
While keeping their seamers warm in short bursts from one end, Durham relied on off-spinner Ryan Pringle to do the holding job at the other. But he appeared to tire after 15 overs, dropping short to feed runs to Adam Voges, who was on 49 at tea.
It was a slightly short ball from Pringle which took the wicket as Compton dragged an attempted pull into his stumps.
There was no sign of turn, but Pringle twice drifted balls past Voges' outside edge.
Malan reached 50 off 87 balls with five fours.
Live coverage available here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/live/cricket/35865490
Full scorecard: http://www.middlesexccc.com/full-scorecard/?compId=1805&matchId=39805
Day 1, Lunch: Middlesex 111/2 (31 overs)
Middlesex didn't fancy fielding in Arctic conditions at Emirates Riverside and after winning the toss they progressed to 111 for two against Durham at lunch.
Left-hander Nick Gubbins warmed to his task with a fluent innings of 60, while Sam Robson contributed 26 to an opening stand of 58.
Both survived a lively spell from Ben Stokes, who came on for the tenth over and began with a maiden in his first appearance since the World T20 final.
He replaced Usman Arshad in the Durham team, which meant South Africa-born paceman Brydon Carse was retained and he made the breakthrough.
After hitting the previous two balls for four, Robson had his off and middle stumps splattered by one which nipped back.
Although quick, Carse continued to prove expensive and Gubbins cut and pulled him for three successive fours in passing 50 off 67 balls.
Carse had conceded 41 in six overs when Graham Onions returned and after driving him wide of mid-off for four Gubbins got carried away and self-destructed.
He tried to pull a ball from off stump which wasn't short enough for the shot and fell lbw.
Nick Compton was on 13 at lunch with Dawid Malan on five.
Live coverage available here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/live/cricket/35865490
Full scorecard: http://www.middlesexccc.com/full-scorecard/?compId=1805&matchId=39805
