By Jon Steer
June 10 2005

Gordon Muchall hit a season's best 123 as he put on 167 for the fourth wicket with captain Dale Benkenstein. The two batsmen dominated the second session as Durham reached 278/4 at tea after looking in trouble on 105/3. Breese and Benkenstein then took Durham to 380/4 at the close. The morning started reasonably well for Durham with Jon Lewis and Nicky Peng successfully negotiating the first hour. The scoring rate was slow but the pair saw off Essex's opening bowlers only for Lewis to fall to first change bowler Darly Steyn for 24.

Peng only lasted a little longer, again a bowling change signalled a wicket with Andre Adams returning to the attack. Durham were now 69-2 with Muchall and Astle at the wicket.

The pair looked to be taking Durham through to lunch when another bowling change brought about a wicket, this time it was the 20 year old medium pacer Ravinder Bopara who took the wicket of Nathan Astle for 15.

Benkenstein took revenge on Bopara with a four and a six from the penultimate over before lunch with Durham reaching the interval on 120/3.

After lunch, Muchall and Benkenstein seemed to find runs easy to come by off most of the bowlers, with the spinner James Middlebrook being the only bowler that managed to keep the run rate down.

Muchall past his highest score of the season so far, 82, and then went on to his fifth championship century. Soon after that Dale Benkenstein resached his half century and his highest score of the season so far.

Just as it looked as if Durham would make it through the session without losing a wicket, Muchall fell to Adams for 123 and the stand was worth 167. Gareth Breese saw out the next over and Benkenstein took another boundary from the last over before tea to leave Durham on 278/4 with Benkenstein 60 not out and Breese yet to score.

Breese continued his slow start after tea but then accelerated as the new ball came and went. Breese ended the day on 60 not out with captain Benkenstein on 91 not out as their partnership exceeded 100 to leave Durham at 380/4.

With the weather expected to change today, Durham could be ideally placed to pull off their fifth championship win of the season. But the bowlers will have to be on form as Essex's batting line up looks very strong.