Ben Stokes performed impeccably with the ball once again as Durham took just five sessions to beat Somerset by an innings and six runs in their County Championship clash at the Seat Unique Riverside.
Stokes, who claimed figures of 4-23, was backed up by Ben Raine, Peter Siddle and Paul Coughlin as they skittled a rejigged Somerset batting line-up affected by illness and injury.
Concussion substitute-turned five-wicket hero Jake Ball took the prize wicket of Division One’s leading run scorer David Bedingham early on and had the hosts 199-9 at one point, but lower-order runs from the impressive Raine and Siddle got the hosts to a total of 265 – a first innings lead of 94.
All-rounder Stokes was back to his best with the ball as he led Durham to a vital win and claimed match figures of 8-77.
Durham climbed to fourth and Somerset remained second in the table.
Ball grabbed his fourth wicket of the innings when overnight centurion Bedingham, who became the first Durham player to score four consecutive hundreds on day one, edged behind to James Rew for 101, only adding one to his tally.
Craig Overton then continued the visitors’ perfect start as he removed Coughlin for two, before Ball claimed his seventh first-class five-wicket haul with the scalp of Callum Parkinson.
Raine came out and played positively, while Siddle played shots that any number 11 would be proud of, including a crunching straight drive for four off the bowling of Josh Davey.
Raine was the last man to go at the hands of Somerset skipper Lewis Gregory for 46, after putting on 66 with Siddle – a record 10th-wicket partnership in this fixture, and the Australian was left unbeaten on 31.
That helped Durham finish on 265, handing the hosts one batting bonus point and a sizeable first innings lead.
Raine then quickly switched focus to his bowling as he removed Tom Abell for the second time in the match, with the opener edging Ollie Robinson behind for two.
Siddle then got in on the action as he bowled fellow Australian Matt Renshaw for six to leave Somerset 12-2.
Tom Lammonby and Andy Umeed looked to steady the ship after lunch, but Stokes struck in the first over of his spell, removing Lammonby for the second time in the match after he feathered one behind to Robinson.
Stokes struck again in his next over to remove Umeed for 16 when he edged to Colin Ackermann at second slip.
Davey, who received a promotion up the order due to Tom Banton being unwell, gave Coughlin his first of the match when he edged to the safe hands of Ackermann.
England Test captain Stokes then got his third of the afternoon when Rew departed for seven after he edged one to the dependable Robinson.
Stokes continued his remarkable spell when Overton edged to Ackermann to depart for six, then Raine continued his good day when he got Gregory lbw for seven, leaving Somerset on the brink of a heavy defeat.
Raine claimed the final wicket as Banton was too unwell to bat, bowling Jack Leach for 13 to give Durham a second success of the season.
