Yorkshire beat Durham by six wickets at Chester-le-Street yesterday to go top of the Championship table, but the day was marred by a highly charged incident.

An appeal for lbw against Durham's top-scorer Martin Speight was rejected by umpire Graham Burgess who then wagged his finger at Darren Lehmann who was fielding at mid-wicket and seemed to direct some choice remarks at the batsman.

Speight came out of his crease to take a huge swipe at the next delivery from off-spinner James Middlebrook and was stumped with Burgess again taking up his quarrel

During the tea interval, the umpires refused to expand on what had happened. All Harris would say was that they would not be reporting the incident. Yorkshire skipper David Byas declined to comment.

Rain delayed an eager Yorkshire from getting on with it in the morning and there was a five-minute hold up before Durham were able to resume their second innings on 94 for five and still 11 runs in arrears.

Darren Gough got Yorkshire off to the best possible start by having Nick Peng caught behind in his first over.

Yorkshire became increasingly desperate as Nick Symington helped Speight add 72 in 29 overs.

The stand was broken when Gough returned. In his first over Symington hooked to long leg where Vic Craven calmly held the catch.

When Gough pinned Melvyn Betts lbw it gave him season-best figures of six for 63.

The 'sledging' had the effect of firing up Durham as Yorkshire chased 97 to win and Steve Harmison and Betts came out with all guns blazing, Betts striking twice in his first five overs. He dismissed Byas lbw and at 22 he bowled Michael Vaughan.

Had Richard Blakey been caught at slip by Simon Katich off Harmison, Yorkshire would have been in difficulties, but Blakey and Lehmann negotiated murky light until Lehmann tried to steer Ian Hunter to third man and lobbed a catch to Katich.

Blakey made his experience count as he calmly took control and Yorkshire were almost home and dry when Matthew Wood was bowled off his pads by Paul Collingwood.

It had been much harder than Yorkshire had expected and they even had to claim the extra half hour to gain a day off today.

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