DURHAM will escape a point penalty even though 18 wickets fell on the first day of their Championship match against Lancashire.

The North East new boys are on a suspended sentence of having 10 points deducted after a pitch at their Riverside ground near Chester-le-Street was marked as "poor" last season.

But match umpires, Yorkshire men Barrie Leadbeater and Chris Balderstone, described it as "a good cricket wicket."

Although they were obliged to report it to Lord's because more than 15 wickets had fallen on the first day, they would not be recommending that Durham be punished.

Lancashire weren't impressed by the pitch although they moved into a strong position after Mike Watkinson won the toss and chose to bat.

They slumped to 89 for five and Neil Fairbrother suffered a painful blow on the elbow before Warren Hegg and Ian Austin led another batting recovery.

Austin slammed 95 from 89 balls including 17 boundaries, his best championship score since hitting a century against Derbyshire at Blackpool in 1992. But his third Championship century continues to elude him.

He watched helplessly as Peter Martin was bowled by a cracker from young Durham paceman Steve Lugsden to leave him agonisingly close again.

But the value of Austin's innings was then shown as Durham's batsmen slumped to 129 for eight against the Lancashire seamers.

Glen Chapple did most of the damage with his first five wicket haul for Lancashire since their last visit to the North East in September 94 when he took 6 for 48 at Stockton.

Durham moved on to 164 for nine when play resumed.

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