Leicestershire 96 for 6 (Raine 4-44) trail Durham 457 for 8 dec (Bedingham 156, Clark 119, Borthwick 63) by 361 runs

Durham pushed the tempo early looking to secure maximum batting points and declare with Storm Agnes threatening to ruin prospects of play in the afternoon and, after resuming on 409 for 5, Bedingham moved to 1000 first-class runs for the season.

He then went to 150 in the game with a six and an all-run four as Durham looked to accelerate towards a declaration.

Jonathan Bushnell and Paul Coughlin were out slogging as Durham declared on 457 for 8, before Raine and Fernando took over with the ball.

Raine dismissed the top four in the hour before lunch, Fernando picking up his first two wickets for Durham before rain arrived at 1.45pm, before play was eventually called for the day at 3.40pm.

Durham continued their championship celebrations on day two with Bedingham steering them to a position of great strength with glorious shots as he raced to his milestones.

Bushnell tried to follow suit but skied Hull to Sam Evans at cover for 19 before Tom Scriven cleaned up Bedingham for an outstanding 156 as Leicestershire picked up their second bowling point.

Paul Coughlin and Raine saw Durham to maximum batting points for the eighth time this season before Coughlin's wicket brought the declaration, leaving Leicestershire just over an hour to bat before lunch.

They made a slow but steady start until Ben Raine got into his groove, removing Rishi Patel's off stump, before bowling Sam Evans, pinning Umar Amin and Louis Kimber lbw first ball in the same over in a remarkable spell of bowling as the clouds and lights came into play.

Leicestershire returned after lunch to grey clouds and full lights illuminating the ground as the hosts zoned in on the stumps.

Fernando picked up his maiden wicket in Durham colours as Harry Swindells chopped on to the Sri Lankan international to leave Leicestershire in real trouble at 74 for 5. He then picked up Lewis Hill lbw three balls later for 25 as the wickets continued to tumble.

Scriven and Ben Cox started to show signs of a mini partnership, flashing shots away to the boundary as they attempted to drag Leicestershire out of a hole that seemed to only get deeper with every passing ball.

The rain that threatened to wipe out most of the afternoon started to arrive at 1.45pm and the umpires took the players from the field five minutes later, not to return for the remainder of the day.