Nottinghamshire (324-4 dec & 129-1) lead Oxford University
- By Mike Berry in The Parks

gan the intended relaunch of a top-flight career with four wickets in his first game of the summer.

The slow left-armer, 23, plundered 65 first-class victims in 1995, but fell from grace last year. He played in only one first-class game, also in The Parks, and spent the rest of the summer idling away in the second XI.

An intensive winter's bowling in New Zealand and the appointment of Eddie Hemmings as Nottinghamshire's bowling coach have com- bined to straighten Hindson's run-up, tidy his action and restore his confidence.

Given 19 overs on the trot, he helped reduced the students to 47 for five until Peter Morgan traded survival with revival. His well-crafted 41 contained six fours and an all-run five backward of point.

Opener Nick Pirihi, a debutant New Zealander, laboured through the morning session for 15 not out but lobbed to midwicket in the first over after lunch.

Batting again Notts were boosted by a flurry of wides from Chetan Patel, who then surprised Mathew Dowman with a straight one.

Despite the genuine desire of both captains to make something of the last day, rain set in at Fenner's after seven overs; Paul Collingwood and Mike Roseberry extending Durham's lead by 23 runs, and an abandonment followed after lunch.