GRAHAM Onions is bracing himself for a busy summer in which he hopes to take lots of wickets and raise money for four charities as part of his benefit year.

He dispelled any doubts about his fitness by picking up four Durham University wickets on a glorious morning at the Emirates ICG yesterday.

“The idea was to get through 15 overs and I've done that,” he said. “I want to be on that bus to Somerset on Saturday and I had to prove my fitness.

“You can do as much work in the gym as you like but you still ache after the first day in the field and it's good to have got through it.”

The day after Durham return from Somerset Onions launches his benefit with a gala dinner at the Gateshead Hilton Hotel next Thursday with Geoff Miller as the chief speaker.

There will also be some Newcastle v Sunderland banter involving Peter Reid, John Carver, Paul Collingwood and Steve Harmison and places are still available.

“I also genuinely want to give something back to the members,” said Onions. “I've organised question and answer sessions in the members' lounge after the second day of the Yorkshire and Hampshire matches.

“Dickie Bird and Jason Gillespie will be at the first on June 29 and Dale Benkenstein at the second on September 2. It's £10 for one event and £15 if they come to both.”

Tickets for these and other events, such as a golf day at Close House on June 1 and a family fun day on June 21, can be booked via email on grahamonionsbenefit2015@outlook.com.

After missing most of last season through injury, Onions suffered a groin strain when playing for the MCC against Yorkshire two weeks ago. But he proved yesterday he is ready for championship action at Taunton on Sunday.

“People will say it's only Durham University, but wickets are wickets, runs are runs and they give you confidence,” he said.

“I would have been happy to bowl again in the hope of getting a five-for, but you have to look at the big picture and it was important that Paul Coughlin had a good bowl.

“I rate him very highly. He has all the attributes and skills, but we don't want to build him up too much. England are sometimes guilty of throwing people in too early.”

Coughlin took two for 19 in 11 overs and scored 19 when sent in at No 4 in Durham's second innings after the students were dismissed for 159 in reply to 448 for four.

Opening bowler Jack Wood retired hurt when batting and in his absence Mark Stoneman and Phil Mustard put on 80 before surrendering to the spinners.

Stoneman got off the mark with a six effortlessly picked up over mid-wicket on his way to 36 and Mustard drove three fours straight down the ground in his 39 before he was lbw attempting a reverse sweep.

After missing the boat in the first innings Michael Richardson went in at three and made 37 against a limited attack, which is being coached by Gareth Breese and Callum Thorp in the absence of Graeme Fowler, who is ill.

At the start of the day capitulation looked likely when the University slipped from 45 without loss to 53 for four, but Worcestershire second X1 player Ollie Steele made an unbeaten 48 and Indian left-hander Chaitanya Bishnoi scored 27 before aiming across a full-length swinger from Onions, which bowled him.

Chris Rushworth struck in the third over and Onions in the fourth as both openers edged to Mustard. Then University captain Cameron Steel was left groping at a beauty from Onions, which took out his off stump.

John Hastings was wicketless but will have benefited from his 13 overs, while Scott Borthwick produced a sharply-turning googly to bowl left-hander Harry McInley.