It took 90 minutes on day three for Durham to complete their dismissal of Middlesex for 188, with Graham Onions claiming six wickets in the innings.
It was Ben Stokes who claimed the first scalp of the day as he completed the three deliveries from the over that had been interrupted by rain the day before. It was the final ball that saw Neil Dexter caught in the slips without adding to his overnight score of 65.
His replacement Gareth Berg lasted 11 balls before he became Michael Di Venuto’s third catch of the innings with the opportunity coming from a Callum Thorp delivery.
Tim Murtagh edged Onions to Phil Mustard having added 18 to the Middlesex total, which stood at 164 after the eighth wicket fell.
A couple of potential missed opportunities allowed the hosts innings to extend a little longer than Durham would have liked, but, Middlesex were bowled out for 188 with Onions taking his haul for the innings to six after Toby Roland- Jones was caught at mid off by Ian Blackwell and Steven Finn was caught by Paul Collingwood in the slips second ball.
The Durham openers scored quickly in the half an hour before lunch with score 35-0 at the break. Neither batsman looked especially troubled by the Middlesex attack but Steven Finn did go on to make an all important breakthrough in the 16th over when he bowled Di Venuto on 30, just as the visitors has passed the fifty mark.
Tim Murtagh claimed his first wicket the over after, when Will Smith was caught by Dawid Malan in the slips on 29. Paul Collingwood’s 46 run partnership with Stokes was brought to an end when he was caught at first slip by Andrew Strauss.
Stokes went on to score 46 before he was also caught by Strauss in the slips, this time off the bowling of Finn.
Durham lost two wickets with the total at 164, that of Benkenstein, who was caught by Rogers off Berg for 24 and Blackwell (12), who was trapped lbw by Finn.
A partnership of 17 between Mustard and Borthwick was brought to an end when the captain was caught behind on 5 off Berg, who also claimed the scalp of Thorp (0), who was trapped lbw two overs later.
Durham were 194-9 after Claydon (8) became Murtagh’s second victim when he was caught by Finn.
Onions joined Borthwick at the crease to nudge Durham to their first batting bonus point of 2012 and added 20 to the total before he was caught by Finn off Roland –Jones.
Borthwick remained unbeaten on 33 as Durham posted a first innings score of 238, giving them a fifty run lead.
With fifteen overs remaining in the day the Middlesex openers returned to the middle and by the ninth over Onions had dismissed the England captain for a second time in the game, this time bowling him for 6.
At the close of play Middlesex were 21-1 with Roland-Jones 4* and Robson 10*, trailing Durham by 29.
Play is scheduled to continue at 11.00am on Sunday. Highlights each day’s play will be available at www.durhamccc.co.uk/durhamtv/highlights
For the action as it happened take a look at our Live Match Chat feed from day three at Lord’s www.durhamccc.co.uk/live-match-chat