Nottinghamshire will have to work to do on the second morning of their LV= County Championship match against Durham at Trent Bridge.
The visitors took the spoils on the opening day after bowling Notts out for just 204 and they then followed up with a solid response of 174 for two before bad light ended play 3.5 overs early.
Luke Wood top-scored for Notts with an unbeaten 65 and Steven Mullaney made 63 but no-one else reached 20, with Graham Onions taking five for 56 on his 33rd birthday.
In terms of recent performances the day was full of disappointment as Mick Newell confirmed.
“I think we were a bit slack in the morning session,” said the Director of Cricket. “Rushworth and Onions, on a pitch that did a little bit, would be a challenge for most teams in the country and I thought they exploited what there was in the wicket very well.
“All in all we’ve had our worst day for some time. No aspect of our game can we go home and feel particularly pleased with. Our new ball bowling and even our later spells were pretty ordinary I think we’ve had a pretty poor day.”
Echoes of Monday’s heartbreaking semi-final defeat reappeared early on as Notts found themselves one for two for the second match in a row.
Jake Libby, playing his first championship match of the summer after injury, fell in the opening over for nought, nicking Chris Rushworth to Gordon Muchall at third slip.
Brendan Taylor survived an lbw shout from the first ball of the match but couldn’t get another reprieve in the second over as he clipped Onions to point, where Jack Burnham took a sharp catch.
It soon became even worse for the home side as they slipped to seven for three when Michael Lumb feathered a delivery from Onions into the gloves of wicketkeeper Michael Richardson.
That was the first of four catches in the session for the Durham ‘keeper as Riki Wessels, Samit Patel and Chris Read all got edges to swinging deliveries.
Wessels made 13 before attempting a drive at Barry McCarthy, a 22- year old Irishman on debut, Patel (1) got an absolute brute of a delivery from Rushworth and Read (19) fell to Jamie Harrison.
Mullaney battled his way to 24 not out by lunch; taken by Notts on 73 for six. Without further addition, Brett Hutton was adjudged lbw in the first over after the re-start, presenting Onions with his third wicket.
The fightback then began, with Luke Wood joining Mullaney in a pulsating eighth wicket stand. Onions found that width was to Wood’s liking, as the youngster caressed him away for four early boundaries.
Mullaney had a life on 41 when he clipped Rushworth to deep midwicket but McCarthy put down the offering in front of the Fox Road Stand.
Undeterred, Mullaney soon brought up his 50 (132 balls 7x4) but fell to an lbw decision against McCarthy shortly afterwards.
Wood passed 50 (67 balls 9x4) for the third time this season and helped bring up an unexpected batting point, shortly before Onions wound down the innings by bowling Jake Ball (15) and Harry Gurney (0) in the same over.
Durham’s response began after tea and they set off at T20 Blast pace as Mark Stoneman and Jack Burnham rattled along to reach 78 without loss. The breakthrough came from an unexpected source as Burnham slipped over, having advanced down the track, and was beaten by a direct hit from Wood from 15 yards.
The only other success was achieved by Ball, who had Stoneman taken in the slips by Mullaney for 62, shortly after a brief stoppage.
In deteriorating light Borthwick brought up his own 50 and he added six more before the umpires called time on the day. Collingwood was unbeaten on 16 and happy to return to the pavilion with his side only 30 runs adrift.
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