Hain century gives Bears control

Sam Hain scored his second century in seven first-class matches as Warwickshire took a grip over Durham at Chester-le-Street.

Hong Kong-born Hain reached his hundred off 188 balls and remained unbeaten on 109 after enjoying a seventh-wicket stand of 101 with Rikki Clarke in the morning.

Durham's reply was twice interrupted by rain and bad light, cutting 21 overs from the day's allocation, and they struggled against impressive bowling from Keith Barker.

Clarke hit two sixes in one Scott Borthwick over and added seven fours in his classy half-century, made off 71 balls, but departed for 54 when he drove at John Hastings and edged to Phil Mustard.

When Warwickshire resumed on 256 for 5, Hastings had three of the wickets and he struck with the day's 10th ball on his way to figures of 5 for 94.

Tim Ambrose shouldered arms and a ball which barely deviated shaved his off stump, then Hain, still on his overnight 12, survived his one big scare in Hastings' next over. The Australian looked astonished when umpire Steve Gale turned down his lbw appeal but, although some hostile bowling and angry glares followed, Hain remained unperturbed.

There were nine overs to be bowled with the old ball at the outset and it was during that period that Hastings carried the greatest threat.

When Graham Onions took the new ball he conceded 23 runs in six overs and made way for Hastings to return, while Borthwick was tried at the other end. In the legspinner's second over Clarke advanced to drive a six over long-off, then pulled another one in front of midwicket. He was looking in complete command when he got out.

Jeetan Patel confidently stroked 32 off 26 balls before edging a cut to Mustard off Onions, who had one for 121 on his return from a two-month lay-off with back trouble.

Hain was on 82 when he was joined by last man Boyd Rankin and continued to show maturity beyond his years in keeping the strike as much as possible. An upper cut for his 12th four off Onions took Hain to his hundred and in the next over Rankin was lbw to Borthwick, who finished with 3 for 70, his best Championship analysis for over a year.

Chris Wright took the first Durham wicket when Mark Stoneman inside edged a flat-footed drive to be well caught by Ambrose.

After the second break lasted an hour they had to come back out for 12 overs and Barker caused all kind of problems. He swung one past Keaton Jennings' forward defensive stroke to hit off stump then Michael Richardson edged a drive to Clarke at second slip.

Borthwick twice drove Wright handsomely through extra cover in his unbeaten 24 and Gordon Muchall made a confident start in reaching 13.

"Sam Hain showed great concentration," Durham skipper Paul Collingwood said. "We tested him with all sorts, but he came through it. He's a bit like Jonathan Trott with some of his mannerisms.

"It was a tricky decision whether to take the new ball in the morning. The old ball was giving us some reverse swing but when we did take the new one nothing happened.''