HONOURS continue to be evenly fought in this first Specsavers County Championship match between Kent and Durham in seven years as Durham, having elected to bat, reached tea in Canterbury on 210 for four after 64 overs.

Resuming on their lunch-time score of 99 for two, Durham lost two further wickets in the mid-session whilst adding 111 runs to their total. Visiting skipper Paul Collingwood was leading the fight with an unbeaten 49, having added 61 in tandem with Ryan Pringle (25*)

Soon after the lunch interval Darren Stevens drew Graham Clark (13) forward with an away-swinger that feathered the bat for a catch behind by Adam Rouse.  

The veteran all-rounder then bamboozled 21-year-old Cameron Steel (34) who pushed inside the line at one that nipped off the pitch to clip the top of off stump.

Kent ought to have had a fifth victim when Ryan Pringle, on eight, edged an attempted drive against Coles into the cordon only for Will Gidman to down a regulation, waist-high chance at second slip.