Northants in control against Durham
Richard Levi and Adam Rossington helped Northamptonshire build a strong lead over Durham on the second day at Wantage Road.
The pair made halfcenturies as the home side closed their second innings 235 for six, leading by 321.
Leading by 86 after dismissing Durham for 131 by lunch, Northamptonshire knew their second innings, in bright sunshine, was crucial to their chances of being promoted and at 65 for four, a lead of 151, the match was in the balance.
But Levi, with 60, and Rossington's 52 grasped the situation to share a stand of 91 in 19.3 overs and moveNorthamptonshireinto safer waters.
Levi is only playing his third Championship match ofthesummerbutwasathis fluent best here, timing the ball beautifully.
He cut and flicked Chris Rushworth for boundaries in making 35 by tea and, after the break, turned Matt Salisbury to fine leg to raise just his second half-century of the summer across all formats and his first in the Championship. This took 59 balls and featured eight boundaries.
But to Rushworth's first ball back into the attack, Levi, on 60, miscued a pull to deep square and threw away a stand that threatened to take the game away from Durham.
Rossington, after his swashbuckling 82 in the first innings, made his second fifty of the match in far moresecurefashion,taking 94ballsscoringsevenfours, clippingBrydonCarsetwice through midwicket.
But the Northamptonshire captain could not provide the significant score to perhaps win the match, though, as Ben Raine slid a full delivery into his off stump to remove Rossington for 52.