Durham v Lancashire: Graham Onions presses England case as batsmen suffer meltdown It was embarrassingly bad at times as the wickets tumbled, but also strangely entertaining as Durham and Lancashire's batsmen came up with ever more ridiculous ways to get themselves out. At the end of the first day's play, as Durham's inability to catch the ball in the slip cordon became almost as woeful as their batting, Lancashire had just about moved into the lead, but if the home side were terrible, the visitors were almost as bad. Lancashire bowled in swing-friendly conditions having won the toss, but that does not excuse the manner in which Durham's top order collapsed. Mark Stoneman flicked the ball straight to square leg off his pads, Will Smith shuffled across his stumps and was bowled off his legs, Gordon Muchall went after a wide one with a wild shot and was caught behind. Still they kept on falling. Ben Stokes was caught behind trying to withdraw his bat, Dale Benkenstein edged one as he tried to drive a ball that was not there to be driven. Only Paul Collingwood dug in for 25, but he also became one of Luke Procter's victims, the all-rounder ending with career-best figures of five for 17 as Durham somehow hauled themselves into three figures thanks to an inside edge off last man Stephen Harmison. That drew sarcastic cheers from their supporters, although the noise from the stands turned sincere once Graham Onions had the ball in hand. A rain break removed the conditions that had given Lancashire extravagant movement in the air, but the England man was superb, taking four wickets in his first four overs. Only one of his victims, Steven Croft, fell to a loose shot. If anyone is going to break into the England attack this summer, Onions is surely next. Durham did not capitalise enough on that opening spell. Procter fell stupidly slashing at a Stokes long hop and Harmison bowled Gareth Cross after he had been dropped by Collingwood, but Paul Horton was given several lifelines. The opener was bowled by Jamie Harrison off a no-ball then dropped by Muchall at first slip. His unbeaten 31 dragged Lancashire into a modest, yet potentially decisive, first-innings lead.