England bowler Graham Onions made a successful return from injury to put Yorkshire firmly behind the eight-ball in their LV= County Championship match against Durham at Headingley.

The White Rose county lost their last eight wickets for 49 runs in 31.1 overs during the afternoon session as they were bowled out for 149 in reply to the visitors’ first-innings total of 327.

Fast bowler Onions, on his return after 15 months following knee and back surgery, was destroyer in chief with his fourth five-wicket haul in four-day cricket against Yorkshire.

Joe Root top-scored for the hosts with a composed 45 but no other batsman made it to 20 as extras totalled 39.

Despite gaining a lead of 180, Dale Benkenstein opted not to enforce the follow-on and Yorkshire then fought back well, taking three second-innings wickets. But they still have some catching up to do during the third day.

Durham were 64-3 from 20.5 overs when the umpires halted play due to bad light and will resume their second innings with a lead of 242.

After Ryan Sidebottom had wrapped up the Durham first innings with his fourth scalp eight balls into day two, Yorkshire were soon in trouble with the willow.

Adam Lyth loosely pulled Onions, who finished with 5-53 from 15 overs, to Ben Stokes at mid-wicket for a two-ball duck, before Anthony McGrath was trapped lbw as he tried to leave Callum Thorp alone in the tenth over.

Root, who played a handful of eye-catching strokes during his 103-ball innings, and captain Andrew Gale then shared 57 for the third wicket before the latter fell needlessly trying to launch Onions over mid-on.

Jonny Bairstow, trapped lbw for a duck, Root and Steve Patterson were Onions’ other victims, while Thorp (3-33 from 17 overs) got Rich Pyrah and Sidebottom in consecutive overs.

Spinners Ian Blackwell and Scott Borthwick also struck, leaving Gerard Brophy stranded on 19 not out and Yorkshire with a total way below par on a true and pacey wicket.

It is doubtful whether Onions would have played in this match had Steve Harmison and Mark Davies been fit.

But despite bowling eight no balls, the 28-year-old proved his undoubted quality during his first competitive appearance since England’s tour of South Africa early last year.

Sidebottom, Moin Ashraf and Patterson then struck for Yorkshire, although 10.1 overs were lost due to the light. Gordon Muchall and Benkenstein are not out for Durham.