WITH Twenty20 progress forgotten, Durham dug deep to summon some welcome middle order solidity today to reach 278 for six.

Michael Richardson made 91 and Gordon Muchall an unbeaten 85 as they shared a fifth-wicket stand of 142 against Hampshire at the Ageas Bowl.

Coming together at a slightly rocky 91 for four, they grafted diligently through the afternoon session, adding 90 in 35 overs, then prospered until the new ball arrived.

Richardson padded up to a Jackson Bird delivery which swung in to have him lbw then Ryan Pringle pushed forward to the next ball and edged to first slip.

Those wickets came shortly after Bird might have heard a little whisper that his countrymen had triumphed at Lord's.

He could have had another in his next over, but a missed chance at third slip gave a life to Usman Arshad, who had replaced Jamie Harrison in the Durham team.

They also handed Graham Clark his first-class debut at the expense of Keaton Jennings, but he made only eight after seeing Mark Stoneman fall lbw to the day's fifth ball from Bird.

Richardson has had a lean run since making his previous highest score of the season, 66 not out at Worcester.

He capitalised on the chance to flourish against the modest attack fielded by division one's bottom club.

Hampshire left out Danny Briggs, another spinner struggling to fulfil his promise, and recalled their other left-arm twirler, Liam Dawson, from a loan spell at Essex.

They also handed a debut to 18-year-old leg-spinner Mason Crane and both were on before lunch as, between them, they got through 40 overs, costing 94 runs.

That bodes well for Pringle and Scott Borthwick's chances of enjoying their first lengthy bowl since Durham's last trip south to Arundel.

It was there that Muchall made 115 and 81 not out, since when he has totalled 50 in four home innings.

He opened up fluently yesterday with a clip to mid-wicket and a straight drive, immediately reinforcing the impression that he enjoys a bit of southern comfort.

But he was tied down by the spinners and settled for grinding it out as he took 136 balls to reach 50.

On a pleasant day Durham chose to bat and were quickly in trouble. After Stoneman's exit, Borthwick was dropped at second slip on nought and one of Clark's two fours came off the edge before left-armer James Tomlinson  had him lbw.

Borthwick produced easily the most fluent batting of the day as he dominated a 45-run partnership with Paul Collingwood, who checked his drive in offering a catch to mid-off . It suggested a lack of pace in the pitch.

Richardson had made only two when he pulled Tomlinson for six, but he lost Borthwick for 49 to the last ball before lunch. He attempted a fierce pull off Dawson but was beaten by low bounce and fell lbw.

The fifth-wicket pair found it hard going against Dawson, whose ten overs either side of lunch cost only 14.

The first 25 overs of the session produced only 48 runs before Muchall straight drove Crane for a straight four to spark a slight acceleration.

But he was fortunate when he went down the pitch to Michael Carberry's occasional off spin and missed. Wicketkeeper Lewis McManus, playing his second first-class match, also missed the ball and it went for four byes.

Richardson was also a little lucky to reach his 121-ball 50 with an edged four off Crane between the keeper and slip.

But he was going along nicely when he late cut two successive balls from Dawson for four to move into the 80s.

Following his exit Arshad took 15 balls to get off the mark and after taking a single he edged Bird for four. But he looked comfortable thereafter in reaching 19 and Durham should garner a third batting point tomorrow.