Collingwood graft, Hastings might turns day

After turning likely defeat into a comfortable win in their last LV= County Championship match at Worcester, Durham brought about another transformation at home to Somerset. From 101 for 6 in their second innings, leading by 65, they recovered to reach 314 through the graft of Paul Collingwood, the fearlessness of Paul Coughlin and the might of John Hastings.

The big Australian thrashed 79 off 68 balls, dominating stands of 46 in 9.5 overs with Coughlin and 72 in 8.4 with Chris Rushworth, who weighed in with 43 before he was last out in the day's last over with the lead on 278.

Until late afternoon Somerset's policy of playing five seamers and no spinner paid rich dividends as they all exploited helpful conditions through accuracy and swing, helped by some variable bounce. But the ball was almost 50 overs old when Collingwood's exit for 58 paved the way for Hastings to use his considerable frame to maximum effect in clubbing nine fours and two sixes.

He slowed down after reaching 72 off 57 balls and finally edged Tim Groenewald to Marcus Trescothick, who will have noted that Durham have knocked off 260-plus when batting last in their two home wins this season.

In the day's first 54 overs 12 wickets fell. On a cloudy morning Somerset declined from their overnight 147 for 4 to 225 all out, a lead of 36. Johann Myburgh, who resumed on 57, left as many balls as possible in the first three overs but when forced to play at one by Hastings he edged it to wicketkeeper Michael Richardson.

Jim Allenby fell for 20 when he edged a drive to Collingwood at first slip to give Rushworth his fourth wicket. That was a straightforward catch, but the captain's next effort showed remarkable reflexes and agility for a 39-year-old as he leapt high to his left to hold Lewis Gregory's edged drive off Hastings. Coughlin chipped in with a couple of wickets, clinging on to a sharp return catch from Trego and having Overton caught at mid-on.

In Durham's second innings a ball of low bounce in Groenewald's first over forced Keaton Jennings to play on and three of the next five wickets resulted from steep bounce.

While defending doggedly, Collingwood remained alert to opportunities to put away bad balls and was starting to look comfortable when he advanced to meet a ball from Jim Allenby, which he worked wide of mid-on for his eighth four to reach 50 off 93 balls. Although he became the fourth victim of extra bounce when he edged Overton to the wicketkeeper, there was no doubt that his vigil had paved the way for Coughlin's run-a-ball 50 and Hastings' onslaught.