Yorkshire will need to display plenty of resolve with the bat today if they are to escape from their LV= County Championship division one clash against Durham at the Riverside with a positive result.

Andrew Gale’s men have so far struggled with the willow having been bowled out for 96 and 177 in two of their three four-day innings against Sussex at Headingley and here in the first innings.

There is no doubt they have the ability within their dressing room to take either a draw or, far less likely, a win back to Leeds, although it has not been particularly evident so far.

Only Gary Ballance and Phil Jaques have scored fifties, both coming in an improved second-innings total of 248 against Sussex when they slipped to an innings and 12-run defeat.

The White Rose were set a challenging victory target of 336 during the latter stages of yesterday’s third day, in which Durham’s Mark Stoneman scored a composed 109 having been dropped on 11 by Jonny Bairstow behind the stumps off Tim Bresnan during the morning session.

The left-hander anchored a total of 275-4 declared.

But at least Yorkshire openers Joe Root and Adam Lyth made an encouraging start to their chase by closing on 17-0 from seven overs, leaving another 319 runs needed.

Having let Durham claim a 60-run lead on first innings, Yorkshire went wicketless throughout the morning session before Bresnan and Liam Plunkett (2-49 from 16 overs) shared four wickets during a much improved afternoon.

By then, however, Durham were well on top. Stoneman and fellow left-handed opener Keaton Jennings (48) shared a stand of 123 for the first wicket before he added 68 for the third with Dale Benkenstein, 61 not out.

When the fourth wicket fell, Durham led by 267, and Benkenstein and Paul Collingwood pushed that up to 335 during an unbroken fifth-wicket stand of 68 either side of tea. Bad light and rain accounted for the loss of 11 overs between 5pm and 6.10pm. The positive declaration from Collingwood came before the resumption.

Yorkshire have only chased more than 336 three times in their first-class history, all coming since the start of the 2005 season. The last of those was against Gloucestershire at Bristol last May when they chased down 400.

But to do that, they will have to combat the in-form Graham Onions, who took five wickets in the first innings and went close on a couple of occasions last night with the new ball.

Although Yorkshire did not bowl badly yesterday, they were unusually ragged in the field.

Bairstow dropped two catches, the second to hand Collingwood a life on five off Adil Rashid. Jaques also dropped Ben Stokes in the deep off Rashid.

Bresnan struck twice in the 41st over when had Jennings caught behind and Will Smith caught at first slip by Root. Plunkett had Stoneman caught by Ballance at first slip and Stokes caught behind.