CLOSE: Durham 322 for 6 (96 overs). Blackwell 107, Stoneman 21.

Curious player Blackwell. Every now and then he puts in an astonishingly crooked defensive shot but he batted jolly well today and, on a wicket already taking turn, Durham have a decent total and if they can get to 400 tomorrow will have a potentially winning one.

Bears tired a bit in the final session. They need to get their slip-fielding sorted out. Rikki Clarke is a big miss there.

Keith Barker, meanwhile, struck 108 (166 balls, 10 fours, 3 sixes) as the 2nds amassed 366 for 9 against Worcestershire at Cov & NW. He added 163 for the eighth wicket with Naqaash Tahir (65)

Durham 288 for 5 (90 overs). Blackwell 94, Breese 41.

Strong recovery from 120 for 4.

Warwickshire have not had much luck in some ways today - as I type Breese attempts to leave a ball from Woakes and chops it past his stumps for four - and many times the ball has beaten the bat or edged into space and an awful lot of runs have been scored to third man. But the Bears have also not helped themselves with slip fielding which remains highly fallible. Benkenstein was dropped, which wasn't too costly, but Breese, on 21 and 26, was reprieved in successive overs in the slips off Rankin and Woakes.

Stoneman will not field but is padded up ready to come in next with a runner.

Durham 206 for 5 (73 overs). Blackwell 58, Breese 0.

Patel has taken his first, richly-deserved, wicket in his 18th over. Mustard, on 24, edged and Bell took the simplest of looping catches to end a very good partnership of 86 in 23 overs between Mustard and Blackwell who is batting sensibly and impressively.

Now tandem spin with Botha on at the City End.

The pitch has been prepared to give a bit more encouragement to spinners. Instantly, with a more even contest between bat and ball than in previous champo games here this season, the cricket is much more interesting.

TEA: Durham 172 for 4 (64 overs). Blackwell 46, Mustard 8.

Westwood was rewarded for a slick bowling change when Carter came back on and dismissed Benkenstein for 14, caught by Troughton at mid-wicket.

It has been really good, hard-fought, interesting cricket. Warwickshire have bowled well with Patel very unlucky not to have taken a wicket. Botha, finally introduced for the 60th over, also dropped it right on the spot. The ball is turning sharply at times.

Blackwell and Mustard, both attacking players by nature, have had to bat diligently to add 52 in 14 oovers so far.

Durham 115 for 3 (44 overs). Benkenstein 12, Blackwell 0.

Di Venuto (40, 121 balls), becomes a third lbw victim for Woakes. Unlike the other two, not plum this one, indeed it looked a bit leg-side.

But Woakes is bowling really well, as is Patel, at last getting a long bowl under his belt with four fielders round the bat. Nine overs for 16 for the spinner so far and he could have had Benkenstein on 9, when Carter just failed to get under a miscue at mid-on, and should have had him on 11 when Bell grassed a chance at slip.

Only five Warwickshire bowlers - Ken Dollery, George Paine, Tom Pritchard, Paul Smith and Bob Willis - have taken more than one hat-trick in first-class cricket.

Durham 97 for 2 (33 overs). Di Venuto 34, Benkenstein 0.

Woakes delivers another nifty inswinger (heavy cloud has moved in) and wins another lbw decision to remove Muchall for 39.

The press-box is busy debating the issue of the day: what was Patrick Troughton's finest role?

Some say Doctor Who, of course. Others reckon the shabby oik in first episode of Inspector Morse. There are also votes for his cameos in The Goodies and Minder, his 'Phineas' in 'Jason and the Argonauts' and his portrayal of Adolf Hitler at the Edinburgh Gateway Theatre in 1950.

LUNCH: Durham 95 for 1 (30 overs). Di Venuto 34, Muchall 37.

Plenty has gone past the bat. Durham will be delighted to have reached lunch with only one out. Warwickshire's bowlers unlucky although in amongst the good stuff have been too many short balls asking to be struck to the perimeter rope.

The two longest innings ever played against Warwickshire have already arrived in 2009.

Durham 71 for 1 (21 overs). Di Venuto 21, Muchall 30.

Good opening burst from Woakes. Carter has come on and beat the bat once or twice. Rankin changed ends and was pulled voraciously by Muchall (who hit seven of his first 38 balls for four) but also ripped a snorter past his outside-edge.

Di Venuto dropping anchor. Good contest.

Stoneman has a thigh strain and will only bat again in this match in an emergency.

Four of the eight longest innings played for Warwickshire - and two of the three longest - were by Nick Knight.

Durham 45 for 1 (13 overs). Di Venuto 14, Muchall 12.

Assisted by a bit of cloud cover, Woakes has swung the ball dangerously and an inswinger trapped Smith in front and dismissed him lbw for 1.

It looks a similar track to that for the Nottinghamshire game. Good for batting. We'll see how much it turns.

Prunes are laxative and nutritious, imparting their laxative properties to boiling water, they serve as a pleasant and useful addition to purgative decoctions.

Durham 23 for 0 (5 overs). Di Venuto 5, Smith 0.

Woakes and Rankin have opened the bowling in glorious weather.

There has just been a six-minute stoppage while Stoneman had treatment for what looks like cramp or perhaps a calf strain. He batted on with a runner (Mustard) for two balls but then retired hurt for 17.

I have long felt that cricketers in the modern game do not warm-up sufficiently before play.