County Championship: Rushworth shines as Durham beat Somerset

Chris Rushworth was Durham's leading first-class wicket-taker last season with 64

Chris Rushworth passed 200 first-class wickets as Durham secured a seven-wicket Division One win over Somerset within three days at Taunton.

The 28-year-old claimed the first three wickets of the morning as the hosts collapsed to 71-7.

Peter Trego (79) and Abdur Rehman (55 no) shared a 99-run ninth-wicket stand, but Somerset were bowled out for 230, leaving Durham needing 150 for victory.

Scott Borthwick's unbeaten half-century eased Durham home.

Rushworth (6-92), who last season took 15 wickets in a day against Northants, began the day requiring two more wickets to pass his personal milestone and he bowled wicketkeeper Alex Barrow with the ninth ball of the morning.

His 200th scalp came six overs later as he trapped Jim Allenby lbw before having Lewis Gregory caught for a first-ball duck in the slips with his next ball.

A fluent 79 from all-rounder Trego stopped the freefall before the 33-year-old was caught-and-bowled by Graham Onions as the visitors were left with a relatively straightforward victory target.

Chris Rushworth celebrates taking the wicket of Jim Allenby with team-mates

In response, Mark Stoneman (26) and Keaton Jennings (26) shared a 53-run first-wicket partnership before Rehman had Jennings caught at slip and Stoneman departed after hooking Jamie Overton to deep extra cover.

However, Borthwick hit eight fours in his 60-ball 51 to hand Durham the win within three days.

Durham bowler Chris Rushworth: "I was aware before the game that I was approaching 200 first class wickets and, although I didn't think about it at the time, it is always nice to get to a milestone like that.

"More importantly, it was a great all-round performance from the team and a terrific start for us.

"Everyone in the dressing room is chuffed to bits.

"We bowled well as a unit. If you aimed for the top of off stump the pitch did a bit to help you. But it's still a batsman's ground and anything off line was always going to be punished."

Somerset director of cricket Matt Maynard: "Chris Rushworth and Graham Onions gave us an example of how to bowl on that wicket, particularly in the final session of the second day when they tested our batsmen with almost every delivery.

"We did not execute our skills for long enough periods with either bat or ball and lost wickets in clumps, which is never good.

"It is a setback, but no more than that so early in the season. The character and body language displayed by the players was excellent right to the finish."