Thorp cuts a swathe through MCC
Michael Vaughan departs after flashing an edge to Phil Mustard on a rain-hit day
Callum Thorp ran riot for Durham in the 47 overs possible on the final day of the traditional season curtain-raiser at Lord’s.
Having spent more than two days in the pavilion frustrated by rain, MCC finally had a chance to bat after lunch.
Umpires Jeremy Lloyds and Neil Bainton decided that play could begin at 1pm, following an early lunch, and Durham's declaration allowed the representative side the possibility of 75 overs before the close.
But MCC made a hash of it, closing on 126 for seven when play finished around 5pm. Tom Westley was holding the fort on 18 from 69 balls.
Thorp, born in Australia but of British parentage, claimed 4-15 from 13 overs in the extended afternoon session, in conditions friendly for bowling.
Neither of the two England batting hopefuls in the MCC side, Michael Vaughan and Ian Bell, could stamp their authority with a sizeable innings.
Ex-England captain Vaughan edged a wide delivery from former Yorkshire colleague Mitchell Claydon, while Bell, dropped from the Test team following defeat to West Indies in the first Test in Jamaica, was one of Thorp's four victims before tea.
Vaughan was in after six overs when MCC captain Robert Key was turned around by a delivery from Thorp which squirted low to gully off the outside edge.
The Yorkshire batsman took 10 deliveries to get off the mark, leaving the ball judiciously outside off-stump, but climbed into two short deliveries to cut boundaries off both Liam Plunkett and Claydon.
Liam Plunkett congratulates Callum Thorp having opener MCC Stephen Moore caught behind for 45
But chasing another one outside off-stump led to his downfall as he flashed an edge to Phil Mustard in Claydon's first over of the day.
A switch to the Nursery End provided an immediate dividend for Thorp as opener Stephen Moore was undone by a big outswinger five short of fifty.
Bell, 27 years old yesterday, was the first of two wickets in the 29th over of the innings - following one which left him in the air. Moments later James Foster was lbw to a straighter delivery.
Durham might have claimed a sixth success inside the extended session but wicketkeeper Mustard failed to cling on above his head when Adil Rashid swished at a delivery from Graham Onions.
MCC took tea on 98 for five. When play resumed, Rashid (20) had his off-stump tumbled by a full, swinging delivery from Plunkett.
Tim Bresnan was then trapped lbw to provide a deserved success for Onions, shortly before hands were shaken on a stalemate.
