Patel keeps Warwickshire's season ticking

Warwickshire have moved back to the top of the Specsavers County Championship Division Two table after recording a comfortable 86-run win over Durham at Emirates Riverside.

Jeetan Patel was the star man for his side in the second innings as he took the 32nd five-wicket haul of his career, ending with figures of 6 for 83.

Durham were left to rue batting collapses from their middle order to slump to their second defeat on the spin. The visitors got back to winning ways in the Championship after their defeat at Kent last week, clinching their fifth victory of the campaign to reclaim their place on the summit.

Warwickshire began the day with a lead of 279, and it was clear from the off that they were in a hurry to push on their total beyond 300. Keith Barker and Tim Ambrose were able to put on a partnership of 60 before Ryan Pringle broke the stand. The off-spinner claimed three wickets in a single over as Patel and Chris Wright were dismissed in back-to-back deliveries.

Oliver Hannon-Dalby played a loose drive to continue the procession of wickets before the visitors declared on 185-9, leaving Durham 313 to chase in their final innings. Warwickshire put the pressure on the home side early on as Cameron Steel knicked off to Ian Bell at third slip.

Tom Latham and Will Smith stabilised the innings, heading into the first break of the day one wicket down. The duo reached their fifty partnership after the restart, but soon lost Smith when he edged a short delivery from Hannon-Dalby through to Ambrose. Latham soon followed when he fell lbw to Patel, while Paul Collingwood fell in the same over edging behind.

Slight resistance came forward from Graham Clark and Gareth Harte, making the visitors work hard to earn a further breakthrough. However, Clark lost his discipline against Patel, playing a loose drive to become his third victim of the innings. Ryan Davies scored boundaries to try to put the pressure back on Warwickshire.

Ryan Sidebottom's arrival into the attack produced the wicket of Harte as he picked out Dominic Sibley. The theme of the innings continued as one became two when Davies was out in the next over to Patel. Bell continued his fine performance in the field to remove Ryan Pringle, claiming a stunning catch at mid-wicket.

Patel notched his fifth wicket when Matt Salisbury departed for a hard-fought 19 when he edged behind to Ambrose. Wright should have ended the innings when Nathan Rimmington drove straight to Wright, only to be dropped while a run out attempt was missed by the bowler. Rimmington offered late fireworks, blasting his maiden fifty for Durham off 51 ball, including eight fours and a six.

Rimmington was the last man to fall when he was bowled by Patel to allow the visitors to secure the victory by a comfortable margin.