County Championship: Durham pace pair skittle Middlesex

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Chris RushworthImage source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Chris Rushworth has claimed 26 so far this season

LV= County Championship Division One, Lord's (day three)

Middlesex 463 & 89: Hastings 5-24, Rushworth 5-38

Durham 294 & 24-2: Harris 2-13

Durham need another 235 runs to win

Middlesex 7 pts, Durham 4 pts

Chris Rushworth and John Hastings shared 10 of the 18 wickets to fall as Middlesex and Durham both suffered collapses on day three at Lord's.

Durham resumed their first innings on 157-4 but, after Keaton Jennings fell for 98, they were bowled out for 294.

The hosts led by 169, but Rushworth (5-38) and Hastings (5-24) ran through them as they were all out for 89.

However, Middlesex seamer James Harris took two early wickets as Durham closed on 24-2, chasing 259 for victory.

At the start of play, nightwatchman Rushworth was dropped on 24, but eventually fell to off-spinner Ollie Rayner for 40 before Jennings was caught behind off Adam Voges two runs short of his century.

The afternoon session then saw 11 wickets go down as first Durham's lower-order slumped, with the final four batsmen making a combined 16 runs as captain Paul Collingwood ran out of partners on 38 not out.

Rushworth's recent form

v Northamptonshire (September 2014)

9-52 & 6-43

v Warwickshire (September 2014)

6-100

v Somerset (April 2015)

6-92

v Sussex (April 2015)

5-81

v Middlesex (May 2015)

5-38

With seam bowler Tim Murtagh's hamstring strain confirmed during the morning, Middlesex chose to bat again. But Rushworth took 4-13 in 17 balls, before Hastings produced a devastating spell of 3-2-2-3 to leave the home side 46-7 at tea.

Steven Finn and Murtagh, who will not bowl again in the game, shared a 39-run 10th-wicket partnership, but Middlesex were all out in fewer than 25 overs - their lowest Championship total against Durham.

The north-east county's first-innings anchor, Jennings was removed for a duck by the impressive Harris (2-13), who also had Mark Stoneman (11) caught at slip by Voges.

Bad light then forced play to end early with the match perfectly set-up for an exciting final day.

Middlesex paceman James Harris:

"You have to give Durham credit. They got on a roll and we needed those runs at the end from Tim Murtagh and Steve Finn.

"We would rather be in our position and if we can put them under pressure with a few early wickets we've got a good chance.

"It was important to take those two wickets before the close because Durham can come at you with all guns blazing so we're feeling pretty positive.

"I'm really happy with my own form. I've got six wickets already in the match and this season I feel I'm showing the form that I should have produced for the last couple of years."

Durham seamer Chris Rushworth:

"We expected Middlesex to enforce the follow-on so it was a surprise to be bowling again.

"Paul Collingwood gave us a team talk, saying that we'd been in this position before and gone out and put the opposition on the back foot and that's what happened.

"We know we've got bowlers capable of giving us momentum quickly and we were all delighted for John Hastings. He loves Durham and to see him walking off with the ball after taking a five-for at Lord's was brilliant for him.

"I feel really good at the moment. I'm confident with the ball and I've got great rhythm. I know what I need to do to take wickets."

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