Graham Clark scored two hundreds before George Harding’s five-for sparked a batting collapse as the Seconds beat Kent/Essex at Billericay.
The right-hander scored tons in either innings as Durham left the hosts a target of 289 in the final two sessions.
And they were going along nicely 185/1 before a monumental collapse of nine wickets for 47 runs, with left-arm spinner Harding grabbing five.
Batting first, Durham put up 385 thanks largely to a partnership of 177 between Clark (125) & Adam Hickey (97), the latter falling shy of three figures.
A mid-order collapse threatned to undo their good work but Eddie Hurst (51) & Josh Coughlin (58) rescued the innings with a ninth-wicket stand of 108.
Harding managed four wickets in the hosts’ first innings while captain James Weighell took 3/31 as Durham took a 38-run lead.
Clark was again the star man with 110 as Neil Killeen’s side declared early on the third afternoon.
And the hosts looked to be heading towards the required runs before Harding and trialist Liam Hurt decimated the lower order.