CRAIG White produced his best bowling burst of the season to have Durham on the rack at Headingley yesterday.

Yorkshire were probably robbed of an emphatic victory inside two days by bad light which allowed only 2.3 overs out of the last 23 to be bowled.

Durham, therefore, resumed today on 148 for seven in their second innings, requiring a further 48 runs to avoid an innings defeat.

The pitch has been scrutinised by David Bridle, an ECB inspector of pitches who was called in by umpires Nigel Plews and Kevin Lyons after 16 wickets fell on the first day of the match.

Bridle did not see anything untoward and it is almost certain that Yorkshire will not be docked any points or any further action taken.

The pitch has cracks in it at the football stand end and some balls have kept low, particularly on Thursday, but there appears to be nothing seriously wrong.

There was certainly nothing to get in the way of Yorkshire's tail-enders pushing on the score yesterday to 310 to set up a first innings lead of 196.

Chris Silverwood and Ian Fisher smashed the ball around. Silverwood's first seven scoring shots were boundaries and Fisher later hit runs off six consecutive deliveries, the first three all being fours off Melvyn Betts.

Durham's Yorkshire-born John Wood took the last three wickets to finish with career-best figures of seven for 58.

With the pitch easing out and a strong wind picking up, Silverwood and Hoggard were unable to make the early dynamic impact of the first innings and the reliable Jon Lewis and Michael Gough carefully compiled 74 for the first wicket, the highest opening partnership against Yorkshire this season.

Gough was then caught behind off Ryan Sidebottom's first ball on being brought into the attack, but it was not until straight after tea, when Durham were 107 for one, that they hit trouble.

White clean bowled David Boon and dismissed Jimmy Daley and Paul Collingwood in a dramatic spell which brought him three wickets for 12 runs in 15 balls.

Greg Blewett claimed his first wicket for Yorkshire, trapping John Morris lbw, and went on to york Betts.

Silverwood had Lewis chopping into his stumps for 74 from 131 balls with nine fours effectively to spell the end of Durham's resistance.

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