Rushworth opens up Durham victory push

Durham 421 and 61 for 1 lead Hampshire 307 (Smith 85, Carberry 73, Rushworth 6-39) by 175 runs
Scorecard

Fast bowler Chris Rushworth collected a magical six-wicket haul as Durham pushed their superiority on day three at the Ageas Bowl. Rushworth cleaned up Hampshire on a difficult bowling pitch to move to 61 wickets for the season after Michael Carberry and Will Smith missed out on centuries.

The two captains are likely to need to manufacture a result on a potentially intriguing final day as Durham lead by 175, closing on 61 for 1. Under beautiful blue skies, which contradicted the second day's grey, Carberry failed to convert a fifty into three figures for the six time this season.

Hampshire's leading Championship run scorer Carberry reached a timely half-century on the second evening but fell an hour and a half into the morning for 73 - edging Ryan Pringle to first slip Paul Collingwood.

Will Smith added 83 for the fourth wicket with Carberry before completing his fifth fifty off 117 with six boundaries.

Title winning captain at Durham, Smith haunted his former county with an assured knock and brought up his milestone with a punchy pulled four.

Smith had put on exactly 50 with Lewis McManus - who batted maturely in just his second first-class match before he departed. He looked set for a first century of the season but Scott Borthwick nailed him on the pads fifteen runs short of three figures.

Joe Gatting batted his way to an aggressive 43, which included a huge six straight down the ground, but seven runs short of a third fifty in three matches he edged the first delivery of the new ball to Paul Collingwood at first slip - giving Rushworth his first of the day.

Rushworth then ran through the Hampshire tail, firstly forcing an edge out of McManus - who scored one more than his previous first-class best of 28.

Jackson Bird was the next Rushworth victim as he was trapped leg before to a ball that kept low before James Tomlinson had his stumps destroyed two balls later.

And the first ball of Rushworth's next over brought the end of the innings - Gareth Berg slogging into the air for an attacking 31 - his sixth five-for of the season. Hampshire ending on 307 - collecting their first batting points in five matches in the process - and trailed by 114 runs.

Durham had a tricky 22 overs to try and add quick runs but not lose too many wickets and Mark Stoneman reached his 6000 first-class run in the process.

And they lost debutant Graham Clark to a stunning reactive catch from Liam Dawson - who dropped three chances in the first innings - as Mason Crane continued an impressive leg spin display.