BEN Stokes had a day to forget as Worcestershire adapted to the pink ball better than Durham in the Specsavers County Championship Division Two match at Chester-le-Street.

He was out for a seven-ball duck as Durham crashed from 12-0 to 18-5 before recovering to reach 197.

Worcestershire replied with 213-4 with three of the wickets going to England colleague Mark Wood as Stokes conceded 69 in 12 wicketless overs.

The visitors took the bold gamble of sending in John Hastings and skipper Joe Leach to slog following the early loss of Daryl Mitchell.

Both hit a six before departing in fairly manic fashion.

A more measured approach then saw Brett D'Oliveira and Joe Clarke put on 77.

D'Oliveira played some handsome strokes and looked comfortable until twilight when he edged Rushworth through the slips for his ninth four to reach 50 off 72 balls.

On 59 he sliced Barry McCarthy to point where Stokes leapt and was unable to hang on with his right hand then another edge evaded the slips.

But as darkness closed in prior to the 9.47pm finish D'Oliveira reasserted himself to remain unbeaten on 91.

Wood returned for a second spell and his third ball sent Clarke's off stump flying for 45 but Moeen Ali saw out the remaining 14 overs and will resume on 36.

The day began badly for Durham when New Zealander Tom Latham was unable to make his debut because of a suspected stress fracture in a foot.

On an overcast day the floodlights were on from the 2pm start and Worcestershire dispensed with the toss before Leach and Hastings wreaked havoc.

When they pitched it up it swung. When they hit the deck it bounced and seamed.

Hastings (3-44) enjoyed an opening spell of 8-4-10-3 against his former team-mates, capped by having Stokes caught behind when trying to withdraw his bat from a steeply-bouncing ball.

Leach (2-45) also produced a snorter to account for Keaton Jennings who got an inside edge into his leg stump.

After three wickets fell on 18 Paul Collingwood stopped the rot by making 25 before he sliced a drive low to gully to become the first of four victims for Josh Tongue.

Batting looked easier after lunch as the last three wickets added 133.

Stuart Poynter and Wood had put on 54 when Wood cut a long hop from Tongue straight to deep backward point.

On 43 Poynter played across an in-swinging yorker and was bowled by Tongue (4-41) then Rushworth contributed 30 to a last-wicket stand of 50 with McCarthy before lifting a catch to deep square leg.

Hastings was in as early as the third over of the reply when Mitchell (3) propped forward and edged Wood behind.

The burly Australian launched Rushworth over long-on in making 12 before edging an attempted hook off Wood to Poynter.

Leach holed out at deep mid-off after making 15.

They were shortlived knocks but at 59-3 after 10 overs Worcestershire were much better off than Durham had been with plenty of batting to come.