COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP DIVISION ONE, Headingley:
CLOSE OF PLAY, DAY TWO: Durham 178 and 26-1, Yorkshire 313(Yorkshire 6 pts, Durham 3pts)
10-13 July 2009 (Play starts 1100 BST)

Steve Harmison could not have picked a better day to get a 'five-for'

Steve Harmison made a timely bid to win back his Test place as he destroyed Yorkshire's top order at Headingley.

As England were taking a Welsh pasting, Harmison ran in hard from the Kirkstall Lane end, reducing Yorkshire to 82-5.

After three wickets for two runs in 15 balls, Harmison later added a couple more victims to return figures of 5-60.

But Yorkshire recovered to make 313, led by Andrew Gale (84), earning a valuable first-innings lead of 135, before Durham ended the day on 26-1.

It was Harmison's third 'five-for' of the season, taking his summer's haul of Championship wickets to an impressive 35 in seven matches at 18.05. And he was closely monitored throughout the day by England selector James Whitaker.

"We all know what Harmy is capably of doing given a fair wind," said Whitaker. "I thought he bowled very well today, particularly in his first spell when he found his best length - and his direction was also good."

After Yorkshire began the day on 64-1, Harmison did have long to wait before removing home captain Anthony McGrath, who could not control a rising delivery, Kyle Coetzer holding a fine catch at third slip.

Joe Sayers and Adam Lyth then both found Harmison's pace and bounce difficult to deal with.

Sayers departed for 37 to a reflex catch off the middle of the bat at short-leg, before Lyth was caught behind in Harmison's next over.

The usually attacking Gale was determined to anchor, taking until his 20th delivery to get off the mark.

After lunching on 127-5, Tim Bresnan ably assisted the fightback. But, after pulling Harmison to the boundary, just one run later he became his fourth victim, taken at third slip.

So careful was Gale that he was in for 136 minutes before striking his first boundary during a 51-run stand with Adil Rashid which eased Yorkshire into the lead.

Rashid then fell lbw to Ian Blackwell for 32, then Rana Naved-ul-Hasan clipped Harmison's first delivery on his return to the attack straight to midwicket.

But Yorkshire's resistance was far from over as Gale and Ajmal Shahzad put on 84 for the ninth wicket, the highest stand of the innings.

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