Blackwell presses on

Ian Blackwell will resume tomorrow at Edgbaston on 139, his highest score since joining Durham this summer

Durham are in a strong position in their LV= County Championship Division One match against Warwickshire at Edgbaston despite the weather taking its toll on the second day.

The champions ended the day on 403 for seven after just 21.2 overs were possible.

Though play was restricted to spells of 50 minutes in the morning and 30 after tea, the visitors will still fancy their chances of pushing for victory with a better forecast for the second half of the match.

Ian Blackwell's highest score for Durham – 139 not out so far – has lifted them to an imposing total on a wicket offering help for all bowlers, and expected to assist the spinners in particular as it wears.

Warwickshire will be hard pressed to maintain their record of posting maximum batting points in every game this season.

Play started on time but just 51 minutes were possible before rain arrived to wash out 46 overs.

Before the stoppage, Blackwell and Mark Stoneman batted capably in the gloom to add 40 to the overnight score of 322 for six.

Opening batsman Stoneman, who had retired hurt with a thigh strain on the first the morning, had resumed his innings at the fall of the sixth wicket, batting with Gordon Muchall as a runner.

Rain sent the players back to the pavilion at 11.50am and there they stayed until 4.15pm.

Resuming his innings for the fourth time, Stoneman pulled Neil Carter for six to reach an 80-ball half-century, and the seventh-wicket stand was worth 93 in 21 overs when Stoneman, who made 64 off 92 deliveries, lifted Chris Woakes to Boyd Rankin at deep square-leg.

When the terminal downpour arrived Blackwell was 139 not out from 217 balls with 16 fours and a six.