County Championship: Durham put Hampshire under pressure

Chris Rushworth has now taken five or more wickets in an innings six times this season

Chris Rushworth produced another superb bowling display to help put Durham in position for a final-day declaration against Hampshire at the Ageas Bowl.

The seamer took 6-39 as the home side were bowled out for 307 to trail by 114 on first innings.

Michael Carberry fell early in the day for 73, but Will Smith made 85 before Rushworth cleaned up the tail.

Durham then reached 61-1 by the close, with Mark Stoneman 39 not out, to extend their lead to 175.

The north-east county really need a victory to keep pace with leaders Yorkshire, while a defeat for bottom club Hampshire would be a major blow to their chances of staying in Division One next season.

Having begun day three on 119-3, they advanced the total past 150 before Carberry was caught at first slip off Ryan Pringle, thereby ending a stand of 83 with Smith.

Joe Gatting (43) helped add 65 for the fifth wicket before becoming Rushworth's first victim of the day and there were useful contributions from Lewis McManus (29) and Gareth Berg (31).

But the last four wickets went down for 15 as Rushworth took his seasonal total to 61 and although Durham lost Graham Clark (15) to leg-spinner Mason Crane before the close, they will look to their attack to see them to victory on the final day.

Durham seam bowler Chris Rushworth:

"I'm feeling fit and strong and its coming out okay and I'm lucky enough to be picking up wickets. It's very pleasing.

"I want to keep doing what I'm doing and hopefully wickets will come, I'm not setting any targets, just wait to see what happens at the end of the year.

"I've been labelled as a guy who only takes wickets at the Riverside so it's nice to pick up five wicket-hauls at grounds that are renowned for being flatter and more batsman friendly."

Hampshire batsman Will Smith:

"I was expecting a bit more stick but they went a bit easy on me, maybe it was reverse psychology.

"It was nice to get runs against them as a former county but it is just another game, you just have to contribute whoever is the opposition."