by Michael McCann
at Chester-le-Street

JAMES HARRIS’S 5-71 propelled Middlesex to a 71-run win over Durham in the Divison One County Championship at Chester-le-Street yesterday.

Resuming on 134-5 overnight chasing an unlikely 308 to win, the hosts fell to 236 all-out on the last morning despite a defiant 95 from Scott Borthwick.

The key wicket of Borthwick fell caught behind off Dexter, before Harris ran through the tail, meaning Middlesex move to 30 points behind leaders Yorkshire.

However, the visitors have played a game more than the defending champions, who managed only a rain-affected draw against strugglers at Hove.

Middlesex may rue claiming no batting points from this match after a superb 7-68 from Graham Onions left them dismissed just 196 first time around, despite 71 from Nick Compton.

In reply, Durham failed to capitalise on the opportunity to sieze control, managing only 169 all-out themselves as only Gordon Muchall made it past 25, hitting 64.

The visitors batted more responsibly second time around, making 280 all out despite 5-49 from the consistently excellent Chris Rushworth.

Middlesex were driven by a resilient 112 by Dexter and a more fluent 63 from Dawid Malan, who shared a 110-run stand for the fifth wicket, after coming together precariously placed on 29-4.

Chasing 308 to win, Durham started the final day promisingly, moving from 134-5 overnight to 190-5 before Harris intervened, producing an excellent yorker to remove Ryan Pringle for 36.

Once that sixth wicket stand, worth 77 between Pringle and Borthwick, was ended, resistance was futile — the last five wickets fell for just 46 runs.

Dexter removed Borthwick just short of what would have been a well-deserved century, though the batsman did pass 1,000 first-class runs for the season, before Harris ran through the tail.