D'Oliveira's legspin gives Worcestershire a glimmer of hope

Worcestershire fought hard to win a first-innings advantage in Chester-le-Street against a Durham side whose Championship season has become moribund, but it may not be enough to spare them from relegation with a game remaining.

That is despite a glimmer of hope provided by Brett D'Oliveira, who had not previously taken more than two wickets in a first-class innings with his leg-spin, but who took the last four on an unhelpful surface to finish with 5 for 48.

D'Oliveira gave much of the credit to Saeed Ajmal who has departed Worcestershire two games early because of the Hajj Festival, earlier this year: "It's been my best day in first-class cricket, but it won't mean anything unless we push on and win," D'Oliveira said. "Not having Saeed Ajmal gave me more chance to bowl, but he helped me a lot with both technical stuff and the mental side or how to read a batsman. It's great to get my first five-for. The odd one turned and it was just a matter of staying patient and waiting for the batsmen to make mistakes."

It was a good day also for the Shropshire lads. While Joe Clarke was named in the England Lions squad, Ed Barnard, a 19-year-old seamer from Shrewsbury, picked up three wickets as Durham were dismissed for 277 in reply to trail by 73.

With nine overs to bat in their second innings, Worcestershire reached 42 without loss. They lead by 115 and the need to win will force them to risk losing by setting a target. As Durham are not mathematically safe - not at stumps on the third day at any rate - they are unlikely to take any risks.

This is Durham's final game and they will go into the last day hoping Yorkshire do not subside at the Ageas Bowl. Durham will be safe if Hampshire fail to win.

A draw looks probable following the second day's washout, which will confirm Worcestershire's return to Division Two and render the signing of the West Shannon Shannon Gabriel for the last two games irrelevant.

While the young, home-grown players have performed admirably, Gabriel, who has played no serious cricket since the end of the Caribbean Premier League in mid-July, was unable to make things happen.

Worcestershire must have imagined setting Gabriel loose on a greentop. Instead, Durham's groundsman has managed to prepare something a little less seam-friendly than usual and home off-spinner Ryan Pringle took three wickets before Worcestershire picked up five from the unexpected source of D'Oliveira.

While Gabriel generated good pace and troubled a few batsmen with steep bounce, seeing one edge from Jack Burnham fly over the slips, he conceded 56 in ten overs and late in the day suffered the indignity of being pulled for six by Chris Rushworth.

In the morning Worcestershire tried to make up for lost time by adding 127 in 18.4 overs before declaring as soon as they achieved the fourth batting point. Ross Whiteley made 51 off 63 balls before pushing forward to a ball from Pringle, which turned to hit the off stump. Tom Kohler-Cadmore advanced impressively from his overnight 46 to 89, made from 133 balls with 12 fours, before he stretched forward to a ball from Scott Borthwick and was stumped.

Joe Leach clubbed his second ball to long-on for four before becoming another stumping victim for Michael Richardson when he charged down the pitch to Pringle's next ball. Barnard reverse-swept two fours on his way to 14, while Ben Cox was on 26 when the declaration came when Worcestershire still had 8.2 overs in which to try to add 50 runs for the fifth point.

Mark Stoneman raced to a 53-ball half-century before Durham slipped from 83 without loss to 88 for three, Barnard's brisk pace inducing catches to the slips to send back Jack Burnham and Paul Collingwood.

Stoneman was bowled driving at a Jack Shantry in-swinger, then Richardson gave Daryl Mitchell his second catch at second slip off Joe Leach.

Borthwick and Gordon Muchall ran busily in putting on 60 in 12 overs before Muchall was lbw for 29, propping forward to a straight one from D'Oliveira.

Pringle made 21 before Barnard sent his off stump flying and the rest fell to D'Oliveira, who bowled Jamie Harrison with a googly before Borthwick departed for 73 when he dragged an attempted pull into his timber from outside off stump.

Batting by now as though they were keen to bowl before the close, Durham surrendered their last two wickets. Barry McCarthy danced down the pitch and was stumped, then Onions was lbw attempting another swipe.

D'Oliveira completed his memorable day by reaching 32 at the close, with Mitchell on ten.