Chanderpaul - Reuters

CHESTER-LE-STREET, Durham (CMC):

Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Ottis Gibson have made a solid impact for Durham against Christopher Jordan's Surrey in a strong show by the three West Indians in their English Division One County match this week. Already with a 49-run first innings lead, Durham had reached a sturdy 325 for seven in their second innings after Gibson belted an aggressive half-century on yesterday's third day of the four-day fixture at Riverside Ground.

Batting first after winning the toss, Durham scored 232 all out on Monday with Chanderpaul stroking a top score of 81.

The chief wicket-taker for Surrey was the 18-year-old Barbadian fast bowler Jordan, who picked up three for 42 off 13 overs with two maidens. Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh also snared three wickets for 49 runs off 19.4 overs with eight maidens.

Propelled by medium pacers Gibson and Liam Plunkett, who shared seven wickets, Durham carved out a good first innings lead when they bowled out Surrey for 183. Gibson, the 38-year-old former Barbados and West Indies player, picked up four for 50 off 15.2 overs and Plunkett grabbed three for 46.

Durham, after closing the second dayÕs play on 73 without loss in their second innings on Tuesday, continued to build on their advantage on a rain-interrupted third day yesterday.

Chanderpaul scored 29 while Di Venuto smashed 77, Gibson, a near run-a-ball 55, and Phil Mustard 44.

Bowling for Surrey, Jordan has so far picked up two for 69 off 18 overs, while pacer Matthew Nicholson (3-79) and Singh (2-104) shared the other five wickets.

Jordan first went to England a couple of years ago on a cricket scholarship to Dulwich College. It is reported that Barbadian officials had sought to have Jordan represent the islands this summer in the current TCL Under-19 Challenge series in St. Kitts, but the young fast-bowling all-rounder opted for the summer stint with Surrey.