Rossington urges Northants to secure big first-innings lead against Durham

The County battled back impressively before the close, with red-ball captain Rossington leading the charge with the bat.

He smashed a superb 82 from just 70 balls to help Northants reach 217 all out.

And Durham then struggled in reply, finishing on 37 for four from 15 overs as Ben Sanderson bagged three for 20 before bad light brought a slightly premature end to Monday's action.

Northants are currently in the promotion places in Specsavers County Championship Division Two, with Durham just outside.

And after the first day's action, Rossington said: “The wicket did plenty and after we battled well up top.

"Durham began to bowl well and I was running out of partners so I tried to get a few away to the short side and managed to get a batting point.

“At one stage we were a long way away from that point but we managed to sneak one and then started really well with the ball.

“We think 217 is a good score so it’s important to come back and get as big a lead as possible.”

Experienced seamer Chris Rushworth took five for 68 for Durham.

And Rushworth said: "We were honest at lunch and said we hadn’t bowled as well as we should have.

"You can’t get much better conditions for a seam bowler and we just didn’t put the ball in enough good areas.

“We came out and bowled well in the middle session but Adam Rossington just teed off and has put them on the front foot.

"We knew what was coming and trying to defend it when the boundary is so short is easier said than done.

“They’ve come out and bowled a lot better than we did but the forecast is better for tomorrow and someone has to stand up and put in a big shift for us.”