Gareth Harte onslaught puts Durham in control against Derbyshire

A fine spell of bowling from Gareth Harte has handed Durham control of their County Championship Division Two match against Derbyshire at Emirates Riverside.

The home side were bowled out for 293 in their first innings, mustering their highest total in the Championship this season. Ravi Rampaul was the star man for Derbyshire, claiming his second five-wicket haul of the campaign. His team-mates made a bright start with the bat, reaching 83 without loss before Durham charged back into the contest.

Harte made the decisive surge for the hosts, ripping through the line-up with a spell of 3 for 10 in the afternoon. Derbyshire were able to recover to a decent position of 181 for 6 before the rain ended day two prematurely, although they remain 112 runs behind their opponents' first-innings score.

Durham began the day on 254 for 8 with work ahead of them to achieve a third batting point. Matty Potts notched a couple of boundaries to make his way to 14 before he was bowled by an inswinging delivery from Tony Palladino. Ned Eckersley attempted to up the ante, scoring a brisk 26, but he ran out of partners when Rampaul removed Chris Rushworth. Rampaul ended with figures of 5 for 77, his best in first-class cricket for Derbyshire to bowl the home side out for 293.

In response, the visiting openers came out with an attacking intent. Luis Reece and Godleman put Rushworth and Brydon Carse under pressure by scoring freely, picking up boundaries with regularity against the new ball. The pair reached their fifty partnership within 59 balls, handing their side a strong platform to build after the lunch break. Derbyshire continued to make inroads into Durham's first-innings score before Ben Raine broke the partnership at 83 when Reece edged behind to Eckersley for 34.

Raine claimed the vital scalp of Wayne Madsen before he could settle, edging behind to Eckersley without scoring. Godleman kept his team on course, notching a half-century from 79 deliveries. The Derbyshire captain worked his way to 66 before he became the first of Harte's victims of the afternoon, missing a straight ball from the all-rounder.

The dismissal of Godleman prompted a collapse in the middle order as the visitors fell from 117 for 2 to 128 for 6 in seven overs. Harte was the architect, bowling Tom Lace for 21, his decision to leave the ball resulting in him losing two stumps, and Harvey Hosein. Rushworth continued the onslaught as Alex Hughes edged to Cameron Bancroft at second slip, putting Durham in command.

Matt Critchley and Leus du Plooy, batting down the order, led a spirited fightback. Critchley thwarted the attempts of the Durham bowlers to take complete command of the match. He held his discipline amid difficult conditions, and he was given a life on 28 when he was dropped at first slip by Alex Lees off a Rushworth delivery. Critchley and Du Plooy reached their fifty partnership before the rain came to end play on day two.