WORCESTERSHIRE were staring defeat in the face when day three of the LV= County Championship Division One match closed against Durham at New Road.

The County had battled back to leave the visitors a victory target of 318, but Durham skipper Paul Collingwood eased to an unbeaten 111 as his side needed just another 47 runs to clinch victory today with seven wickets in hand.

Worcestershire picked up two early wickets with Joe Leach and Jack Shantry the successful bowlers in dismissing Mark Stoneman and first innings century-maker Scott Borthwick respectively.

But Durham opener Keaton Jennings and Collingwood figured in a third wicket stand of 108 to take their side to 174-3. Michael Richardson (41no) then joined Collingwood and the pair took Durham through to 270-3 by the close in an unbroken fourth-wicket stand of 96.

Earlier Leach produced some explosive hitting during the morning session and raced to his half-century off only 33 balls with three sixes and 10 fours. He was eventually last out for 76 as Worcestershire, who resumed on 65-6, totalled 192 all out.

Leach received good support from Ben Cox (32) and Sachithra Senanayake (18) as the last four wickets added 127 runs. He had some early good fortune when he edged Chris Rushworth and John Hastings for boundaries and was dropped by Keaton Jennings off Rushworth on the deep square boundary.

But in between he and Cox produced a display of hitting and the first five overs of the day yielded 53 runs.

Boundaries flowed at a rapid rate from both players against the opening Durham pair with Leach straight driving Rushworth for six.

Leach and Cox added 75 in 9.1 overs before the latter was caught by Michael Richardson off Hastings. His 31-ball knock contained five fours.

Senanayake hit a breezy 18 and Shantry (0) departed to the Richardson-Hastings combination but Leach continued to hit out and another 25 was added in partnership with Charlie Morris.

He was finally bowled for 76 from 53 balls with three sixes and 10 fours after making room to cut against Hastings who finished with career-best figures of 7-60.

Stoneman adopted an aggressive approach in racing to 37 out of 53 with a succession of boundaries off Charlie Morris. He survived one head-high chance to first slip off Shantry on 30 but perished when Ben Cox took a fine catch away to his left off Leach.

Borthwick was trapped lbw to Shantry for four with the total 66-2.

Jennings reached his half-century off 91 balls with six boundaries and Collingwood closed on 111 from 167 balls with one six and 16 fours.