Durham looking set to mount new challenge for title

With Adrian Shankar not batting as he awaits a scan to determine the extent of a knee injury, the bottom-of-the-table home side were dismissed for 345 and duly slumped to a sixth consecutive defeat.

Scott Borthwick snapped up the first two wickets in successive deliveries as Worcestershire went down by an innings and 25 runs.

Still 99 behind when resuming at 271-5, they threatened to hold up Durham as Gareth Andrew took on Borthwick and pulled a short ball into the members’ car park in the second over of the final morning.

The all-rounder then went down the pitch to the young leg-spinner, driving his eighth four over mid-on, but having completed his second half-century of the championship season he hoisted the next ball straight to Ben Stokes at deep mid-wicket.

Borthwick then held a straightforward return catch from Damien Wright but Richard Jones safely blocked the hat-trick delivery.

This was the only ball that Jones faced before he was run out by Stokes when Ben Scott refused a second run.

Scott’s batting has been one of the few bright spots in two heavy defeats since joining Worcestershire on a month’s loan.

The Middlesex wicketkeeper, who had a successful spell at New Road in the first half of last summer, shared in a stand of 74 in 21 overs with Andrew and went on to reach 50 after hitting seven fours in 78 balls.

A nimble-footed batsman with a sound technique, he has scored at least 30 in each of his four Championship innings and his 73 here lifted his aggregate to 171 with only two dismissals.

Steve Harmison’s reputation counted for nothing as last man Alan Richardson supported Scott in a stand of 54.

The former England fast bowler may have needed a few overs to loosen up after his exertions in his first county match in over a month.

He conceded 35 runs and was in his sixth over of the day when he secured his seventh wicket of the match. Scott was caught at third slip by Stokes, leaving Richardson unbeaten on 12 after pulling Callum Thorp for six.

Worcestershire clearly face a difficult season but Durham are already in a position to launch a challenge for the title they won in 2008 and 2009.