Despite the accumulated loss of about half the first three days, a dry day today could bring a win for either team, because of a pitch that rewards positive stroke-making but on which, against dangerous seam bowlers, no batsman feels really “in”.

That was underlined when Surrey plummeted from a sunny 117 for two late on Thursday to a gloomy 134 for seven yesterday morning. The chief agent in that was Graham Onions, who, against Usman Afzaal, started by bringing back a full-length ball to bowl the left-hander. He ended with four wickets and looked more of an England bowler than did Stephen Harmison. Indeed, Harmison was the last bowler Durham turned to. If that was meant to stir him up it was a modest success. He got a wicket when Alistair Brown, after scoring 38, slashed high to third man. Neil Killeen took a fine catch, as well as three wickets.

Before the afternoon rain set in Durham lost two wickets in getting to 76, but there were militant strokes from Neil McKenzie and Kyle Coetzer, tilting a precarious balance towards the home team - just.

Michael Di Venuto had just survived an early run-out which would have been bizarre, given his first-innings dismissal in that manner. Indeed, Surrey were sure they had run him out again when his push into the off side and somewhat unhurried canter ended with a direct hit, though the umpire's finger stayed down.

Di Venuto did not stay long, though, falling leg-before to Jimmy Ormond for 14. Saqlain Mushtaq came on relatively early but seemed to be gaining little assistance - before he beat Mark Stoneman and claimed him leg-before with a ball that hurried on a little. If 53 for two was a bit of a stutter, McKenzie suggested otherwise as he began by quickly seizing on balls a little short of a length.

Indeed, it seemed as if his set-up is designed to move quickly into the pull stroke.

Those fours came in consecutive balls from young Chris Jordan, who could not repeat his impact of the first innings. Coetzer joined in by striking leg-side fours, again off consecutive balls, against Jordan.

When Coetzer on-drove Saqlain, the ball passing more or less under the ungainly flop of Pedro Collins, Surrey's poise seemed to have gone. But no doubt it could re-surface today.

Scoreboard

Durham: First Innings 224 (D M Benkenstein 67, M D Stoneman 59)

Second Innings

M D Stoneman lbw b Saqlain 23

M J Di Venuto lbw b Ormond 14

K J Coetzer not out 22

N D McKenzie not out 11

Extras (b 4, nb 2) 6

Total (2 wkts, 22.3overs) 76

Fall of wickets: 1-22, 2-53.

Bowling: Collins 9-2-26-0; Ormond 7-2-16-1; Saqlain 4-0-11-1; Jordan 2.3-0-19-0.

Surrey: First Innings (overnight 123-4)

U Afzaal b Onions 1

A D Brown c Killeen b Harmison 38

C J Jordan run out 0

M J Nicholson lbw b Killeen 4

J Ormond c Di Venuto b Killeen 6

Saqlain Mushtaq c Mustard b Davies 8

P T Collins not out 4

Extras (b 4, lb 3, w 1, nb 2) 10

Total (66.1 overs) 183

Fall of wickets: 1-17, 2-18, 3-117, 4-123, 5-125, 6-125, 7-134, 8-160, 9-177.

Bowling: Harmison 11.1-4-27-1; Onions 20-7-73-4; Killeen 19-4-40-3; Davies 13-3-34-1; Wiseman 3-1-2-0.

Umpires: B Dudleston and B Leadbeater.