Harmison wins Vaughan battle

Michael Vaughan appears to edge Steve Harmison behind but the former England captain was not happy with his dismissal

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Steve Harmison won his battle with Michael Vaughan at the Riverside today, although the former England captain was clearly unhappy with the decision as both strive for a Test recall.

There was little doubt which of the combatants looked in better form initially and Vaughan had looked untroubled in reaching 24.

But Harmison steadily improved during a nine-over spell after lunch and suddenly found some extra bounce. He was in no doubt that the ball had brushed Vaughan’s glove on the way to Phil Mustard, nor was umpire Nick Cook.

The batsman looked aghast, and watching selector James Whitaker did not look best pleased as a big score is needed to back up Vaughan’s obvious claims to the England number three spot.

Vaughan departed with much shaking of the head and muttering, but any question of dissent was knocked back by umpire Cook, who said he had no complaints.

At the start of Yorkshire’s reply to Durham’s 362, Harmison was taken off after three overs. But he soon switched ends and it was in the seventh over of his second spell that he struck.

Four overs later he also had Jacques Rudolph caught behind for 57 and he then caused Anthony McGrath plenty of discomfort.

Phil Mustard plays an audacious reverse sweep on his way to an impressive unbeaten innings of 95 for Durham against visitors Yorkshire this morning

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Top of the list of lesser lights who have shone in an evenly-balanced contest are the wicketkeepers.

Mustard was left stranded on 94, his best championship score at Riverside, when Durham were all out for 364 and Gerard Brophy added to his six catches by making 75 in Yorkshire’s reply of 264 for six.

Coming together at 142 for four, Brophy and Tim Bresnan put on 105 before Brophy gave Ian Blackwell’s left-arm spin the charge on 75 and allowed Mustard to pull off a leg-side stumping.

Bresnan departed for 40 in the next over when he drove at a ball wide of off stump from Liam Plunkett and got a thick inside edge into his stumps.

Mustard, who was on 62 overnight, twice reverse-swept Adil Rashid for four in his attempt to reach a century before running out of partners.

He had good support at the start of the day from Callum Thorp, who contributed 42 to the stand of 86 before punching a return catch off the back foot to Matthew Hoggard.

It was Hoggard’s fourth ball of the morning, Bresnan and Deon Kruis having been preferred initially. After Hoggard also removed Graham Onions he finished with the best figures of 4-82.

Joe Sayers had been off the field with a shoulder injury, so Andrew Gale opened with Rudolph and had his off-stump knocked out by the impressive Onions, who was out of luck for the rest of the day.