Durham compile useful advantage

Half centuries from Michael di Venuto and Ottis Gibson extended Durham's lead over Surrey to 374 at 325-7.

After no play was possible post lunch on Tuesday, 26 overs were lost on day three, with Durham resuming on 73-0.

Di Venuto took 32 balls to score the six needed for a 90-ball fifty as he and Shiv Chanderpaul defied Harbhajan, who by lunch bowled 17 overs for 20.

He mis-timed a pull at teenager Chris Jordan to mid-on for 77 but Gibson chanced his arm for a breezy 55.

For the second successive day, the start was delayed by 30 minutes, and Mark Stoneman added only two to his overnight 26 before he fell in the fifth over, edging a drive at Matt Nicholson to second slip.

Di Venuto pulled and cut 18-year-old Jordan for fours before succumbing, and Chanderpaul departed in similar fashion.

Harbhajan was rewarded with a caught and bowled from Dale Benkenstein's leading edge and also ousted Phil Mustard for a quickfire 44.

Gibson's early strokes were fortunate to fall into empty spaces but he struck some fine shots before departing six overs from the close.

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