Durham were forced to settle for a draw on the final day of their LV= County Championship Division One match against Middlesex at a sun-kissed Emirates Durham ICG.
After seeing Yorkshire chase down 335 in their previous home match, Durham skipper Paul Collingwood was not going to make the same mistake again.
His declaration on 240 for six left Middlesex an unlikely target of 304 in 51 overs. After losing Sam Robson to the 12th ball the visitors dug in and closed on 165 for six, with Joe Denly untroubled in making an unbeaten 73.
After his first-innings duck, the previously prolific Robson made seven before he followed an awayswinger from Callum Thorp and edged to Phil Mustard.
Chris Rogers and Denly took the score to 41 for one at tea, although runs flowed more freely when leg-spinner Scott Borthwick conceded 32 in his first four overs.
After edging Mark Wood through the slips for four to pass 50, Rogers fell lbw to the same bowler.
The pacy Wood then knocked out Dawid Malan's off stump and - in a final throw of the dice - Durham recalled Graham Onions with 22 overs left.
In his third over, the England seamer had Neil Dexter caught behind and in his fourth John Simpson was well taken low down at second slip by Borthwick.
There were 15.3 overs left when Gareth Berg joined Denly, but he survived for 11 before Wood returned and had him brilliantly caught by Keaton Jennings, posted in the unusual position of leg gully. James Harris duly helped Denly to see out the remaining overs.
Resuming on 89 for one in the morning, 152 ahead, Durham showed little inclination to press on as only 20 runs were added in the first 45 minutes.
They stuck to their normal batting order and were 177 for four at lunch, Borthwick having moved from his overnight 11 to a second half-century in the game.
Durham batted on to add 63 in 13 overs after lunch, during which Collingwood steered a catch to third man and Mustard drove to mid-off.
Gareth Breese made an unbeaten 20 at a-run-a-ball and Borthwick's unbeaten 82 came off 152 balls with six fours.
The draw leaves Middlesex one point behind new leaders Sussex, with Durham in third place.