MARK STONEMAN enhanced his chances of leaving Durham with a championship medal when he made the first half-century of the match at Taunton yesterday.

But when he fell for 57 seven overs from the close Durham still had work to do and they will go into the third day needing a further 46 with five wickets standing.

A win will take them to the top of the table, although Middlesex will go back above them if they hang on for a draw against Surrey.

Stoneman went to his 50 off 87 balls when he pulled Roelof van der Merwe behind square and followed up by driving his sixth four through extra cover.

But the left-arm spinner turned one through Stoneman's forward defensive stroke to bowl him then had Gordon Muchall caught at slip for 17.

Suspicions that the traditonally run-laden Somerset pitch had turned into a Taunton terror track receded, despite three opening batsmen being out first ball.

Marcus Trescothick and Durham's acting captain Keaton Jennings went into the match as the country's leading run scorers and totalled 20 in four innings, while young Tom Abell suffered the indignity of bagging a king pair.

When Somerset were none for three, then 33 for six, the terror track theory would have gained credence with outside observers.

But runs flowed in the afternoon and a last-wicket stand of 52 took the total to 180.

Durham were left with a target of 176 and at 19 for two it was time for Michael Richardson to deliver. He needed a bit of luck and had it on 12, when Jack Leach had a good lbw shout turned down.

But after his five-wicket haul the left-arm spinner seemed not to give the ball as much air. He did finally have Richardson lbw for 33, ending a stand of 69.

Somerset's early second innings struggles resulted not from any gremlins in the used pitch but from superb swing bowling in cloudy conditions, particularly by Graham Onions.

Chris Rushworth, bowling round the wicket to the left-handers, took two wickets in the first over. Trescothick edged low to Scott Borthwick at second slip, then Chris Rogers thrust his pad at the fifth ball and was lbw.

Abell edged an Onions swinger to Stuart Poynter and after a stand of 21, during which he beat James Hildreth twice in an over, Onions found the edge to have him caught at fist slip by Muchall.

Peter Trego was lbw for nought and when Mark Wood replaced Rushworth his third ball was edged to Borthwick by Jim Allenby.

But van der Merwe and Craig Overton went on the attack, putting on 72 in 13 overs before Onions nipped one back to take out van der Merwe's middle stump on his way to finishing with four for 50.

He was denied a five-for when an impassioned lbw appeal was turned down when he struck 19-year-old wicketkeeper Ryan Davies on the foot with his score on four.

On 19 Davies survived a tough chance to Onions, running back from mid-on, off Wood and in the next over he hit a six and two fours off Borthwick, who also saw a long hop pulled for six by last man Tim Groenewald as he conceded 26 in three overs.

Although neither of Durham's spinners matched the turn of Somerset's pair, Adam Hickey had two for 19 in 8.5 overs, ending the innings when Davies chipped to mid-wicket on 49.

As Hickey also made an accompished 36 not out in Durham's first innings total of 189 he has more than justified his place.

Although Somerset had van der Merwe on for the sixth over, it was Overton who took the first two wickets in the second innings.

He had Jennings lbw then Borthwick got out carelessly for the second time, pulling a catch to mid-on.

Davies may have done enough with the bat to scotch rumours that Somerset are interested in Phil Mustard, although he did do Durham a favour by diving in front of first slip to drop Stoneman on ten.

The stand of 69 with Richardson tipped the balance Durham's way, but they still face a tense hour this morning.