Blackwell takes five as Somerset collapse

Durham took another stride towards retaining their Championship title when Ian Blackwell finished with the astonishing figures of 5 for 7 in 8.1 overs as Somerset were bowled out for 174 at Chester-le-Street. Graham Onions and Liam Plunkett shared the other five wickets as Durham lost ten batsmen for 85 runs after their openers had given them a solid start.

Marcus Trescothick scored 31 off 52 balls and Arul Suppiah made 53 off 84 during an opening stand of 89 which came at over four runs per over. However, both batsmen fell on the same score in successive overs - Trescothick to Onions and Suppiah to Plunkett - which began the Somerset collapse. Onions broke through Justin Langer's defences before Blackwell got into the act, picking up James Hildreth for 27. Plunkett struck two more vital blows, having Craig Kieswetter and Peter Trego caught by Michael Di Venuto, and Blackwell sliced through the tail by dismissing Ben Phillips, Alfonso Thomas and Charl Willoughby for ducks.

Di Venuto was in a hurry when Durham began their reply. He raced to 22 off 16 balls before getting caught by Trescothick off Willoughby. Will Smith was then caught behind, also off Willoughby, for a first-ball duck. At 24 for 2, Somerset saw an opening but it was shut by Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Kyle Coetzer. Chanderpaul remained unbeaten on 49 but Coetzer was bowled by Phillips shortly before stumps. Durham ended the day on 110 for 3, trailing by 64 runs.