FORTUNE began to favour Durham when they were in danger of losing their way after an encouraging opening hour on the final day at Chesterfield.

They reached lunch on 145 for two, needing a further 137 with the steamy conditions expected to produce storms in late afternoon.

When the expected threat from spin began to kick in runs dried up and openers Cameron Steel and Michael Richardson departed after moving the score on from 36 to 91.

But after a shaky start Graham Clark broke the spinners' stranglehold when, on three, he lifted Hamidullah Qadri over mid-wicket for six.

Jack Burnham then edged the off-spinner past Wayne Madsen at slip for four and with the help of four byes in the same over runs were flowing again.

Both batsmen continued in positive vein, bringing up the 50 stand in the final over before lunch with Burnham on 27 and Clark on 21.

Having made seven in 17 overs yesterday evening, Steel made a brisk start with a couple of nice leg-side shots helping him to take nine runs off the second over, bowled by Tony Palladino.

But after seven overs of seam on a steamy morning, Derbyshire turned to Imran Tahir. They delayed the introduction of Qadri for a few more overs and Richardson cut his first ball for four to complete his second half-century of the match.

It came off 90 balls, but from that point runs began to dry up and Steel had added three in 33 balls when he was caught behind for 25 trying to cut Qadri.

Only four were added before Richardson departed for 62, edging Tahir to Madsen at slip. Derbyshire must have sensed more wickets in the next few overs, but Clark's six proved a big turning point.