Brinkley and Love earn advantage for Durham

James Brinkley seized his second chance of a first-class career by bringing a Gloucestershire charge to an abrupt halt at Chester-le-Street today.

The Scotland-born, Australia-raised seamer took 5-9 in 22 balls to finish with 6-32 as the visitors slumped from 188 for four to 198 all out.

Queenslander Martin Love then stroked his second half-century of the match, finishing on 63 not out, as Durham reached 104 for two in the second innings to lead by 148.

Brinkley's previous best was the 6-98 he took on his debut for Worcestershire seven years ago. Injury restricted him to 19 games in four seasons before he was released and he played for Herefordshire last season.

Neil Killeen apart, Brinkley looked as ordinary as the rest of the Durham attack as Kim Barnett led Gloucestershire's recovery from four for two. Ian Harvey thrashed 36 off 34 balls and 42 runs came off the first six overs after lunch, 15 coming off one over from Steve Harmison. But the rot set in when Barnett's dashing innings of 82 off 106 balls ended when he flashed at a widish ball from Brinkley and sliced to gully.

There was no such extravagance from Love, who again looked totally composed as he reached 50 off 100 balls. Following the early loss of skipper Jon Lewis, bowled by his namesake for one, Love put on 54 with Michael Gough and shared an unbroken stand of 46 with Jimmy Daley.