Middlesex struggle as Durham dominate

Close, day two: Middlesex 69-4 trail Durham 568-9 dec by 499 runs

Middlesex will hope the rain comes to save them after their top order crumbled on the second afternoon at the Riverside.

Scott Borthwick extended his career-best score to 216 while Paul Collingwood (36) and John Hastings (38 not out) helped Durham to declare on 568-9.

Hastings then removed Middlesex skipper Chris Rogers early on and Mark Wood took wickets in successive overs to leave the visitors reeling.

Showers meant that only five balls were possible in the evening session as Middlesex closed almost 500 runs behind.

However, rain is also forecast for much of Tuesday and Wednesday, which will reduce the time Durham have to force victory over the Division One leaders.

They added 157 to their overnight score of 411-4, with Borthwick looking nervous, but surviving, as he closed in on his maiden double century.

He and Collingwood put on 73 for the sixth wicket as the veteran skipper brought up Durham’s 450 with a mighty six.

Toby Roland-Jones induced a leading edge to remove Collingwood, before Borthwick finally made his 200 with a nick through the slip area.

His outstanding innings ended just before lunch when he top edged a hook off Roland-Jones to Dawid Malan at midwicket.

Australian Hastings, on his debut in English cricket, then threw the bat around to good effect, with four fours and two sixes as he made 38 from 25 balls before Durham declared.

And the one-Test cap’s day got even better when Rogers played on for one in the fourth over of Middlesex’s reply.

Wood then had Sam Robson caught behind and quickly followed it with the wicket of Malan in his next over.

Neil Dexter was also out cheaply, edging Alan Richardson to third slip, as Middlesex were reduced to 45-4.

Joe Denly and John Simpson survived through to an early tea and they were unable to complete one over before the showers returned – much to Middlesex’s relief.

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