A VERY composed Dawid Malan, unbeaten on 61, led Middlesex's progress to 256 for three at tea.
Durham's only success of the afternoon owed much to a rare rush of blood from Nick Compton, who had looked just as comfortable as his partner in a stand of 76.
While keeping their seamers warm in short bursts from one end, Durham relied on off-spinner Ryan Pringle to do the holding job at the other. But he appeared to tire after 15overs, dropping short to feed runs to Adam Voges, who was on 49 at tea.
It was a slightly short ball from Pringle which took the wicket as Compton dragged an attempted pull into his stumps.
There was no sign of turn, but Pringle twice drifted balls past Voges' outside edge.
Malan reached 50 off 87 balls with five fours.
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