Gloucestershire's Roger Sillence grabbed a career-best five for 63 and evergreen wicketkeeper Jack Russell snapped up six catches on day one at Bristol.

After rock-bottom Durham had been dismissed for a disappointing 216, opener Craig Spearman's unbeaten 80 looked to have seized the initiative for Gloucestershire before the visitors took two late wickets.

Durham won the toss and elected to bat but suffered an early setback when Gary Pratt (six) edged a good-length ball from left-arm seamer Mike Smith and was well caught by Russell.

Opener Michael Gough and Australian overseas batsman Brad Hodge compiled a second-wicket stand of 58 before the former, who had played well for his 33, was bowled by Sillence.

Gloucestershire seized control by taking another two wickets in quick succession just before lunch.

Gordon Muchall (six) played a loose cut shot against left-arm spinner Ian Fisher to present Russell with his second catch.

Worse was to follow for Durham when Ashley Thorpe, who scored only a single, flashed at a short ball from seamer Jon Lewis to be smartly caught by Spearman at first slip.

Vengeance

Acting skipper Hodge and Ian Pattison put on a fifth-wicket stand of 69 before seamer Sillence struck with a vengeance with four wickets.

Hodge (73) failed to get far enough forward to a good-length ball and edged to Russell before Pattison (27) became Spearman's second catch at first slip.

Durham quickly subsided to 195 for eight with Sillence dismissing Ian Hunter (two) and Andrew Pratt (25), both expertly caught by Russell.

Russell claimed his sixth victim of the innings when Graeme Bridge (12) offered a legside catch off Smith and Durham were all out when Steve Harmison (one) was caught by Matt Windows off Lewis.

In reply, Spearman and James Pearson shared an opening stand of 38 before the latter pushed forward at Mark Davies and was caught at second slip by Hodge.

Tim Hancock (three) edged England paceman Harmison to 'keeper Andrew Pratt but a third-wicket stand of 103 between Spearman and Windows appeared to put Gloucestershire in control.

However, Windows (38) played a rash shot off Hodge to be caught at long-on by Pattison and skipper Mark Alleyne departed for a fifth-ball duck after edging a Harmison delivery to Hodge.

Gloucestershire: C M Spearman, J A Pearson, T H C Hancock, M G N Windows, M W Alleyne (Capt), A P R Gidman, R C Russell (Wkt), I D Fisher, R J Sillence, J Lewis, A M Smith.

Durham: M A Gough, G J Pratt, B J Hodge (Capt), G J Muchall, A M Thorpe, I Pattison, A Pratt (Wkt), I D Hunter, G D Bridge, A M Davies, S J Harmison.