Martin Emmerson
BBC Radio Newcastle

Durham opener Ben McKinney is now on his highest score in FC cricket. A six off Ethan Bamber took him to 124, beating his 121 in a win here against Notts last season.

He also hit Bamber for four in the same over and has now put on 88 runs with Matthew Potts, who has 47.

These are much-needed runs for Durham after they lost three wickets in two overs after tea. It would be nice from the home team's perspective to see these two still together at the close of play.

Feasibility studies are under way, with the council intending to keep the frontage "intact".

Martin Emmerson
BBC Radio Newcastle

Durham have got themselves in a spot of bother after tea, losing three wickets for five runs in just two overs.

It all began when Colin Ackermann slog-swept Tazeem Ali to Hamza Shaikh on the legside boundary when on 18. Will Rhodes, who made 10 and two on his debut last weekend, went for a third ball duck, bowled by Ali.

Then Ben Raine missed one when he was on four and was bowled by Vishwa Fernando. He could have been out first ball after edging an Ali delivery straight through the legs of leg slip.

Last weekend Durham lost their last five wickets for just 21 runs at Notts and didn't recover from that. I feel they are going to leave plenty of runs out there today as well.

But in Ben McKinney they have hope. The opener has been steady and has 93 runs.

Gary Lewis was stabbed with a syringe full of muscle relaxant in a seemingly random attack.

Sunderland winger Romaine Mundle is expected to return from a hamstring injury in time for the play-offs.

Northumbria Police sees a rise in dog attacks causing injury to a person or assistance dog.

Martin Emmerson
BBC Radio Newcastle

The last thing Warwickshire needed to do was give a chance to David Bedingham. He scored 1,331 championship runs last year and broke Durham records for fun.

He was on 29 when he edged Ethan Bamber to rookie keeper Kai Smith, but he couldn't hold onto the chance. If that wasn't bad enough he was dropped in Bamber's next over as well, this time at first slip by Rob Yates when on 30.

He and Ben McKinney have put on 60 runs so far, with McKinney reaching his 50 in 93 balls with seven fours.

It is a lovely warm afternoon in Chester-le-Street and plenty of spectators are in T-shirts and shorts. I'm old enough to remember people telling us they shouldn't play cricket this far north in April.

Martin Emmerson
BBC Radio Newcastle

We are just a few minutes away from lunch now and David Bedingham has recently joined Ben McKinney in the middle.

Bedingham, who was Division One's leading run-maker last season, got off the mark with a beautiful four through mid-wicket off Michael Booth.

He replaced Emilio Gay, who was caught behind off Booth on 41, but had been becalmed for a few overs prior to his dismissal. He did put on 78 runs with McKinney though after Durham lost opener Alex Lees for a duck in the first over.

A second man appears in court over the death of a man shot through a window of his house.

The home in Mapleton Road is now boarded up and will remain closed for the next three months.

Newcastle City Council defends strict policies and claims school attendance is improving.

Martin Emmerson
BBC Radio Newcastle

Durham have given a debut to new signing Brendan Doggett. The 30-year-old seamer normally plays for South Australia and is having his first spell in English cricket. He's here for April and May.

David Bedingham returns after he missed the opening game at Notts because he was playing cricket in South Africa. Daniel Hogg also returns after injury.

The three to miss out are George Drissell, Paul Coughlin and Graham Clark.

It's a nice day in Chester-le-Street and Durham have decided to bat.

Image source, BBC Sport

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