JUST when batting appeared to have become relatively comfortable after the sun came out, Durham took two wickets in two balls to leave Worcestershire on 178 for five at tea.

Chris Rushworth has three for 56 after taking the first and third wickets of the afternoon and both resulted from batsmen shaping to play to leg.

Alex Gidman was lbw for 12, but opener Tom Fell and Dutchman Alexei Kervezee put on 72 and Durham seemed to have missed the boat until Kervezee drove well wide of off stum at Paul Coughlin and edged to Michael Richardson.

Rushworth returned for a new spell and Fell was looking to turn the first ball to mid-wicket when he edged a comfortable catch to Scott Borthwick at second slip.

Off the remaining 23 balls before tea Ben Cox and Ross Whiteley added 18 runs.