COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP DIVISION ONE, Edgbaston:
CLOSE OF PLAY, DAY THREE: Durham 433 Warwickshire 264-9 (Warwicks 3pts, Durham 5pts)
16 - 19 June 2009 (Play begins 1100 BST)

Harmison will be pleased with his haul ahead of the Ashes squad selection

Steve Harmison took five wickets as Durham took firm control on day three of their County Championship match against Warwickshire at Edgbaston.

After Durham moved from their overnight 403-7 to be dismissed for 433, Ian Bell (79) and Tony Frost (56) helped Warwickshire to 168-2.

But Harmison (5-39) sparked a collapse which saw the home side lose six wickets for 62 runs.

The Bears closed on 264-9, still 20 short of avoiding the follow-on.

After taking 13 deliveries to get off the mark and needing treatment after taking a blow on the hand from Harmison, Bell struck 13 fours in his 152-ball effort.

His stand of 129 with Frost was ended when the opener edged Dale Benkenstein to Gareth Breese, before the England batsman was caught by Michael di Venuto off the bowling of Ian Blackwell.

Harmison then joined the attack after tea to rip through the Warwickshire middle order.

The 30-year-old bowled Jonathan Trott, had Jim Troughton and Tim Ambrose caught by Gordan Muchall and Phil Mustard respectively and had Chris Wokes and Jeetan Patel snaffled in the slips to leave the hosts staring the follow-on in the face.

Earlier, Warwickshire picked up the three remaining Durham wickets in the first half an hour of the day, with Ian Blackwell being bowled by Boyd Rankin for 158.

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