Collingwood shines on small stage

Durham have been playing first-class cricket since 1992 but still have much to learn. This is their first match at Stockton Cricket Club for two years but it occurred to no one - not even the council, who are part-sponsoring the game - to put up any signs to the remote little ground.

Somerset should have been given bonus points for finding the place. Two of their players went to the nearby Norton ground by mistake and asked the groundsman if there was a cricket match planned for later in the day.

Stockton is an attractive ground when you get there, though some batsmen said yesterday that the sightscreens, small and low, are a problem, "especially when the ball is pitched right up from one of the taller bowlers".

Batting looked an easy business while Ian Blackwell and James Hildreth were putting on 103 in 15 overs for Somerset's fifth wicket but everyone else struggled on a wicket where some deliveries bounced more than others.

In the opening Championship games Steve Harmison was generally outbowled by Liam Plunkett, one of the best young quicks in the country. Yesterday it was Paul Collingwood, on as third change, who outshone him.

Collingwood finished with five for 52, the first five-for of his first-class career. "I'm delighted and very surprised," he said afterwards.

Not that Harmison bowled badly; his opening spell was erratic but he returned with genuine menace before lunch.

Somerset's batting has been so patchy this season that their acting captain Marcus Trescothick must have agonised before deciding to bat after winning the toss. Trescothick, out of touch himself, perished in the seventh over when he top edged a pull off Harmison and skied the ball down the leg side to the wicketkeeper Phil Mustard.

Michael Burns was next to go, caught at backward point off a Mark Davies delivery which popped and jammed his top hand against the handle.

Sanath Jayasuriya has treats in store for Somerset when the weather warms but at the moment the Sri Lankan is struggling to find a run; he had made two when his off stump was knocked back by Davies. John Francis was then caught in the gully off Harmison.

At lunch Somerset were 103 for four and the lively Davies, who was born in Stockton and tops the national bowling averages, had figures of two for 13 from eight overs. But after the interval he went for 36 in four as Blackwell and Hildreth turned the game around.

Blackwell struck 10 fours in his 48 before he was bowled by a straight one from Collingwood and Hildreth also hit 10 fours and a six after going down on one knee to lift Davies high over mid-on.

He was eventually caught at first slip, surprised by the bounce of Collingwood, who then rushed through the tail. His fifth wicket wrapped up the innings on 252, Graeme Bridge taking an excellent tumbling catch at wide mid-on to dismiss Andrew Caddick.

But Caddick then took four wickets in three overs as Durham collapsed from 86 for no wicket to 126 for six.