DURHAM made better use of winning the toss than at Lord's last week when they again put the opposition in at Chester-le-Street and reduced Nottinghamshire to 72 for five at lunch.

It took Durham until the penultimate over of the first day at Lord's to pick up the fourth wicket, but they found more assistance in their home surface.

They also felt they had Samit Patel caught behind first ball, but he survived to make 19 before he did edge to Phil Mustard off Mark Wood in the last over before the break, ending a stand of 32 with Riki Wessels.

Brendan Taylor padded up to Chris Rushworth's fifth ball to fall lbw for nought and Alex Hales was next to go for six, also lbw when half forward to one from Rushworth which came back just enough.

In the next over Graham Onions shaped one away to have Steven Mullaney caught behind and the next ball brought the huge appeal against Patel.

Wood, making his first appearance of the season for Durham, beat the bat twice in his first over. But the fourth wicket went to John Hastings, who brought one back sharply to have James Taylor lbw for nine.

When Rushworth returned both batsmen drove him for four and when Wood was brought back for the last over before lunch he struck with his fourth ball.