Lancashire's batsmen survived two fiery five-over spells from England fast bowler Graham Onions to secure a draw in their LV County Championship Division One match against Durham at Old Trafford.

Onions took three for 39 from his ten overs as the Red Rose side slumped to 56 for four in 21.3 overs, but an unbroken fifth-wicket partnership of 107 between Mark Chilton and Francois du Plessis allowed Lancashire to reach 163 for four when bad light forced a premature end to proceedings at 4.30pm.

Chilton batted particularly well to make 79 not out off 169 deliveries but Du Plessis' 119-ball 54 was not far behind in terms of class and fluency, and the form of the two batsmen was a welcome sign for Lancashire's injury-hit squad as they prepare for next week's Roses match at Headingley.

Both teams took nine points from the game.

In the first ten overs of the morning Durham extended their overnight lead to 325 in the most enterprising fashion.

Dale Benkenstein reached his 50 before being brilliantly run out by Du Plessis, but Phil Mustard put both Gary Keedy and Stephen Parry to the sword and reached his own half century in 58 balls with four boundaries and a six.

Having seen his batsmen take the total from 256 for five to 320 for six in just ten overs, Will Smith declared, leaving Lancashire a minimum of 84 overs to score 326 at a run-rate of around 3.88 an over, not a target which seemed particularly attractive on the worn Old Trafford pitch.

Few people gave Luke Sutton's side a chance of reaching their goal, and that number reduced further after they collapsed to four for three in 23 balls.

Onions was the chief destroyer, having Paul Horton caught at short point for three and producing a beauty to have Mal Loye caught behind for a third-ball duck.

Callum Thorp joined the party in the next over when he tempted Stephen Parry into a hook which went straight to Onions at long leg.

Chilton and VVS Laxman got to lunch without further alarm but the fortunes of the Red Rose side declined further four overs after the interval when the Indian Test star played a little crookedly at Onions and was caught at the wicket by Mustard for 23.

However, rather than put up the shutters Chilton and du Plessis batted stylishly and had added 94 runs by tea when Lancashire were 150 for four.

Durham's Ian Blackwell failed to repeat his wicket-taking on a wicket which only got slower as the game progressed and the left-arm spinner finished with nought for 56 from his 25 overs.