DURHAM made a good start in their pursuit of an unlikely victory target of 447, reaching 107 for two at lunch on the flattening Scarborough track.

With almost two days to score the runs, Graham Clark applied himself impressively, only to fall lbw to Liam Plunkett for 34 offf the last ball before lunch.

Scott Borthwick joined him on 54 for one and after taking 23 balls to score his first seven runs he took 19 off the next nine to move past 1,000 first-class runs for the third successive season. That includes his century against Durham University.

Graham Onions began the day by trying to bounce Steve Patterson, presumably angry that he hadn't walked when apparently caught off the glove the previous evening.

Patterson got into position before the ball was delivered to pull his third four in seven balls from Onions before the bowler pitched one up and bowled him for 36.

Yorkshire were all out for 440, leaving Durham to attempt to score more than 400 to win for only the second time. The previous occasion was in 2004, when they reached 453 for nine at Taunton thanks to Gareth Breese's unbeaten 165.

Mark Stoneman survived a big appeal for caught behind off Ryan Sidebottom's first ball of the innings. Two overs later it looked more likely that he had nicked one from the left-armer, but it was a no-ball.

Durham were due a bit of luck after it deserted them yesterday, and both openers soon began to drive handsomely through the covers.

It really seemed it might be Stoneman's day when he edged an attempted pull off Tim Bresnan over the slips for four.

But his luck ran out off the next ball when Bresnan stuck out his left hand to hold a brilliant return catch off a well-timed drive.

Stoneman made 37 off 40 balls, which seemed a little hasty given the time Durham had to make the runs.

Borthwick also offered a return catch on three, but Patterson was unable to hang on and the batsman reached 31 at lunch.