Plunkett sets up Durham win

Seamer Liam Plunkett took a five-for for the second time in the match to bowl Durham into a winning position against Worcestershire

Liam Plunkett was again Durham’s enforcer as they closed in on a fourth successive LV= County Championship Division One win against Worcestershire at Chester-le-Street.

Needing 179 to triumph and stretch their lead at the top, there was no hint of their calamitous start in the first innings and they reached 64 for one at the close.

As in Worcestershire’s first innings, the first five wickets were shared by five bowlers before Plunkett went on to complete the first 10-wicket match haul of his career.

He added an 11th as he followed his career-best 6-63 on the first day by finishing with 5-56, but the game’s other star performer, Kabir Ali, was unable to follow suit.

After the failures of a batting line-up depleted by losing three men to England Lions, Kabir made 30 not out to go with his 6-68.

But in fresher conditions, the lavish swing of the first evening - when he reduced Durham to one for three - was no longer available.

Given much easier batting conditions, the visitors played a huge part in their own downfall as they subsided from 59 for one to 179 all out.

The 19-year-old Dutch international Alexei Kervezee played very impressively and was largely untroubled until Plunkett came back for his second spell.

Kervezee completed his maiden championship 50 off 105 balls and had reached 66 when he shaped to hook Plunkett and top-edged a catch to Phil Mustard.

Plunkett had brought several balls back into the right-hander, so it was a surprise to see acting captain Gareth Batty shoulder arms to one which knocked out his off stump.

As Ian Blackwell found enough turn to provide Mustard with two more catches, Worcestershire collapsed to 124 for eight before Chris Whelan helped Kabir put on 45.

But it was too late to repair the damage, which started with two careless dismissals just before lunch with both Moeen Ali and Ben Smith caught at backward point by Kyle Coetzer.

Ali would have run himself out for a duck had a shy from wide mid-off hit the stumps, but he perished for 10 when he sliced Plunkett to Coetzer, who held a good catch low to his right.

Smith made only three before cutting Callum Thorp to Coetzer, and left-hander David Wheeldon repeated his first-innings dismissal by driving wide outside off stump and edging to Di Venuto to give Mitch Claydon a wicket.

Plunkett and Blackwell did the rest, then with 21 overs to bat Durham sped to 47 in the 13th before Coetzer played back and was caught behind off Ashley Noffke.

Di Venuto greeted Batty by advancing to drive his fourth ball over long-off for six and was unbeaten on 43 at the close, leaving Durham needing 115 more on the final day.