THE pink ball wreaked havoc when Durham were put in by Worcestershire and slumped from 12 without loss to 18 for five in the Specsavers County Championship game at Chester-le-Street.

A wicket fell in each over from the sixth to the tenth, three of them to former Durham player John Hastings, who had Ben Stokes caught behind for nought when trying to withdraw his bat from a steeply-bouncing ball.

The pink ball did not appear to live up to its reputation for staying hard and shiny for longer, however batting looked considerably easier after lunch as the last three wickets added 133 to take the total to 197.

The expected debut of New Zealand Test player Tom Latham did not materialise for Durham because of a foot injury. Scans have suggested he has a stress fracture.

In cloudy conditions Worcestershire opted not to toss and with the floodlights on from the start skipper Joe Leach and Hastings made excellent use of the pink ball. When they pitched it up it swung; when they hit the deck it bounced and seamed.

Cameron Steel was first to go, playing back and edging a regulation catch to Daryl Mitchell at second slip.

Leach nipped one sharply into left-hander Keaton Jennings, who got an inside edge into his leg stump.

Three wickets fell on 18, although Graham Clark looked unlucky to be adjudged lbw to Leach when replays suggested it would have missed leg stump.

Jack Burnham pushed forward and edged Hastings behind and after the Australian removed Stokes he bowled three more overs before resting with 8-4-10-3.

Paul Collingwood and Ryan Pringle put on 46 before both fell on 64, the captain slicing a drive to caught low down at gully by Moeen Ali off 19-year-old seamer Josh Tongue.

Stuart Poynter and Mark Wood put on 54 before Wood fell for 21 when he cut a long hop from Tongue straight to deep backward point.

The return of Hastings held no fears for Barry McCarthy, who looked supremely comfortable, while Poynter cheekily steered the burly Australian over the slips to reach 43.

Without addition, however, he played acros an in-swinging yorker and was bowled by Tongue.

That brought in last man Chris Rushworth, who had scored 57 and 38 in his previous two innings. He greeted the introduction of Moeen Ali with two fours through the covers and reached 30 before lifting a catch to deep square leg to leave Tongue with four for 41.