DURHAM are in a strong position on day one of their Specsavers County Championship Division Two match against Middlesex courtesy of career-best bowling figures of 6-37 from seamer Matt Salisbury at Emirates Riverside.

Resuming on 113-7, the visitors were penned back further Salisbury struck in the second over after lunch aided by a bizarre stroke from James Fuller, who charged down the wicket and was clean bowled, allowing the 25-year-old to claim his maiden five-wicket haul.

He notched his sixth strike at the end of the over, removing Ethan Bamber lbw. Mark Wood finished off the innings for 121, bowling Tim Murtagh for a duck.

Durham were in need of a response with the bat following their humiliating efforts at Leicestershire.

Cameron Steel and Alex Lees put on 39 for the first wicket, but Murtagh nipped one back to trap the latter lbw for 25.

Harris found movement off the seam to remove Steel for 21 as the visitors made inroads. Gareth Harte and Michael Richardson held firm with an unbeaten partnership of 81, guiding the home side beyond Middlesex's first innings total before the tea break.