Onions unable to push his claim in top-of-table clash

Watched by selector James Whitaker at Chester-le-Street, Onions came under attack from visiting captain Glen Chapple when he took the new ball with the score on 241-7.

Nine overs later it was 310-7, but when Mitchell Claydon replaced Onions just two more runs were added before the last three wickets went down for one run.

Chapple top-edged a cut to third man to fall for 46 then Luke Procter, his partner in a stand of 87, edged to wicketkeeper Phil Mustard on 45.

Finally, left-hander Kyle Hogg shouldered arms to Ian Blackwell and was bowled, giving the left-arm spinner a third wicket. Claydon had two and five other bowlers took one each.

Lancashire would have been in dire trouble had Paul Horton’s edge on one offered more than a very slight chance to Gordon Muchall at first slip.

Horton went on to hit 15 fours in making 94 off 176 balls. There were too many short balls he could either hit to the boundary or leave alone, but after he was fourth out with the total on 158 the innings seemed to be falling away.

Ben Stokes made the breakthrough after being hit for three fours in an over by Horton, nipping one back to hit the off stump.

Croft became Blackwell’s first victim and his second was Gareth Cross, who advanced down the pitch and was beaten by the turn.

Then leg-spinner Scott Borthwick had left-hander Tom Smith lbw for 32, aiming for mid-wicket off the back foot.

Borthwick had Chapple in trouble early in his innings, but when the new ball was taken the Lancashire captain drove Thorp for a straight six and continued to plunder the bowling in partnership with the more restrained Procter.

The pair arrested their side’s slump until Chapple’s exit and the subsequent rapid conclusion left Durham the happier of the two sides.

Worcestershire’s Damien Wright and Alan Richardson took three wickets apiece as reigning champions Nottinghamshire were dismissed for 223 at New Road.

Moeen Ali added 2-12 from 7.3 overs as Riki Wessels top-scored with 67. Vikram Solanki then made a run-a-ball 52 as Worcestershire’s reply reached 77-2.