County Championship: Sam Curran takes six wickets as Durham build 247-run lead

Durham opener Mark Stoneman will be a Surrey player next season, having signed in July

Surrey paceman Sam Curran's career-best 6-51 limited Durham to a 247-run lead, setting up the chance of a final-day run chase at Chester-le-Street.

Resuming on 299-7, Stuart Meaker's unbeaten 35 helped Surrey post 367, a first-innings deficit of 34.

Surrey-bound opener Mark Stoneman then hit 92, but only four other Durham batsmen made double figures as Curran took three wickets in four balls.

Graham Clark was the best of the rest with 54 as Durham closed on 213-8.

Having played under lights all day, mist began to move in with 22 overs remaining, forcing umpires Neil Mallender and David Millns to take the players off - before then abandoning play for the day shortly after.

Stoneman and the also Surrey-bound Scott Borthwick both began the day within range of 1,000 runs for the season for the fourth year in a row.

Stoneman got to the milestone in a sixth-wicket stand of 109 with Clark, who improved on his career-best score.

But Borthwick failed, his dismissal for 12 leaving him on 957, sparking the collapse in which Durham lost four wickets to 18-year-old Curran in seven deliveries.

Former England paceman Graham Onions had earlier completed the 25th five-wicket haul in first-class cricket in the morning session, his first this season.

Victory for Durham would ensure survival, while a draw would leave them 19 points ahead of eighth-placed Hampshire, who they meet next week in the final game at Southampton.

Saturday's One-Day Cup finalists Surrey, playing their final Championship match of the summer, are now guaranteed to finish fourth regardless of the outcome.

Durham opener Mark Stoneman told BBC Radio Newcastle:

"My last innings here as a home player, which was a strange feeling really, but nice that I was able to contribute and hopefully put us in a strong position tomorrow.

"I need to sack the script writer, but every run counts and I'd have taken the 92 at the start, no doubt.

"The nature of the pitch is you have to always trust what you see - if it's in your area, you have to commit to it, because there's plenty happening.

"A 240 odd lead at the minute, it we can extend that as long as possible tomorrow morning, we have a good chance of winning the game."

Surrey assistant coach Stuart Barnes told BBC Radio London:

"Sam (Curran) was outstanding and thoroughly deserved his six wickets.

"The interesting thing is how he did it - when he bowls full and straight, because of the skills he is able to do through the air and off the pitch - he got his six wickets.

"Unfortunately in other phases of the day, we weren't quite able to do that from both ends, but when we did we applied lots of pressure.

"He's had a quiet couple of games, but in the back of your mind, because he is so talented, you know something is round the corner and we saw it today."