Yorkshire began brightly at Scarborough yesterday but went downhill as the weather deteriorated.

At the end of another rain-hit day restricted to 33.3 overs it was Durham who continued to hold the upper hand in the Division Two championship promotion clash.

Gordon Muchall and Dale Benkenstein had by then added an unbroken 108 for the fourth wicket to leave Durham on 260 for three off 73.3 overs.

Durham had started the second day on 140 for one with captain Mike Hussey on 85 and Paul Collingwood 33 before Deon Kruis struck a much-needed blow for Yorkshire with his first ball.

Collingwood drove too early and edged a catch to Anthony McGrath at third slip to end a second-wicket stand of 84 in 26 overs.

Hussey looked all set for his fourth century of the season as he moved into the 90s by square-driving Tim Bresnan for four but when he had got to 92 he fell lbw to the same bowler after facing 147 balls and striking 14 powerful boundaries.

Durham, standing on 152 for three, had lost much of the advantage they had built up on the first day but they were gradually put back in control by Muchall and Benkenstein, who had the measure of Yorkshire's attack in between several stoppages for rain.

Kruis took a rest after his excellent opening spell of 7-4-7-1 but the pressure could not be sustained and John Blain once again proved expensive.

Benkenstein glanced a no-ball for four and then cut the Scot

to the boundary in the same over while Muchall, a century-maker at North Marine Road last year, pulled and cut Kruis for fours when the South African returned to the attack.

Five overs had been lost to the weather before lunch and only one ball was possible after the interval when another heavy shower lopped a further nine overs off the day's allocation.

On the resumption Benken-stein took consecutive fours off Kruis, the first taking him to his 50 off 85 balls with eight boundaries and the second making the partnership worth 100 in 27 overs.

This spell of play lasted for only 3.3 overs before another downpour dashed hopes of any further play, Muchall closing on 42 and the belligerent Benkenstein on 59.