Westwood makes most of luck to put Durham in trouble

Ian Westwood doggedly rode his luck to make 127 and put Warwickshire in command of their Specsavers County Championship match against Durham at Chester-le-Street.

Without ever looking secure, the left-handed opener left his season’s previous best of 45 way behind before falling to the second new ball.

He was the middle victim as Warwickshire lost three wickets for seven runs after losing only one wicket in each of the first two sessions to reach 265 for three.

Tim Ambrose’s unbeaten 27 took the Bears to 315 for seven from 108 overs at the close, leading by 105.

Westwood was dropped after a dreadful start to the season and was only recently recalled following a double century in the second team.

His willingness to graft on a pitch offering assistance to the bowlers was the hallmark of an innings in which there were plenty of edges, but only one went to hand before he was out.

He was on 39 when Michael Richardson failed to hang on to a sharp, head-high chance at third slip.

Westwood produced one of his best strokes, a cover drive for his 15th four off Paul Coughlin, to complete his first century since April last year off 219 balls.

Jonathan Trott and Ian Bell both fell in the 40s after surviving searching examinations from Chris Rushworth and Graham Onions.

Trott was troubled by Rushworth in his post-lunch spell, before spooning a catch to deep square-leg off Barry McCarthy.

Onions beat Bell three times on seven, then almost bowled him via inside edge and pad, but the visiting captain began to prosper when Durham turned to Scott Borthwick’s leg spin.

When Durham took the new ball Rushworth immediately beat Westwood on 108 then the next ball was edged through where third slip should have been.

The luck suddenly changed when Bell tickled a leg-side ball from Rushworth to wicketkeeper Stuart Poynter.

Of the three fours Westwood added after his 100 two were off the edge, but his 264-ball innings ended when Borthwick dived to his right from second slip to give Rushworth his third wicket.

Having been out of luck all day since gaining an lbw decision against nightwatchman Chris Wright, Onions threw up his arms in exasperation when he beat Sam Hain.

But when he made way for Coughlin, Hain was adjudged to have edged behind and trudged off in apparent disbelief.