MORE excellent bowling by Chris Rushworth helped Durham to close in on victory at Lord’s as he took three of the six wickets to fall this morning.

Paul Collingwood picked up his second with the last ball before lunch to leave Middlesex on 139 for seven with any prospect of chasing down their victory target of 396 long gone.

It as good as vanished when Rushworth had Sam Robson lbw with the fifth ball of the morning after the England opener had hit a four two balls earlier to reach 38 off 39 balls.

There was no further success for 13 overs, although Ben Stokes, who replaced Rushworth, beat Eoin Morgan in each of his first two overs.

John Hastings had conceded only 15 runs in nine overs but after eight came off his tenth Rushworth returned at the Pavilion End with instant success.

He had Morgan caught behind by Phil Mustard for 21 and in his next over produced a beauty to bowl Neil Dexter.

John Simpson never looked secure, edging Rushworth between the slips and gully before the bowler made way for Peter Chase.

Simpson bottom edged the Irishman’s first ball and was lbw to the second, which nipped into him.

When Collingwood came on he struck in his second and third overs. He swung one in to bowl Paul Stirling and finally ended Dawid Malan’s resistance, pinning him lbw for 46.