Toby Roland-Jones completed a 10-wicket haul as Middlesex beat Durham by six wickets to retain top spot in County Championship Division Two.

John Simpson also equalled the record for wicket-keeping dismissals in a match at Lord’s with nine catches, achieving the feat for the second time in his career at the home of cricket.

Set 117 in 44 overs to win, the hosts lost four wickets before skipper Peter Handscomb, whose departure from Middlesex was confirmed during the afternoon, signed off with 39 not out to see them home.

For much of the morning there was little sign of the drama to come as Borthwick and night-watchman Matthew Salisbury batted with relative comfort on a placid surface.

Borthwick pulled Roland-Jones to the mid-wicket fence before driving Martin Andersson twice in an over through the same region.

Salisbury, too, played with increasing confidence, garnering three boundaries from one especially expensive Andersson over.

Borthwick eased to 50 with 10 fours, and 20 minutes before lunch the game appeared to be meandering aimlessly before Roland-Jones returned.

The seamer’s loosener looked set to be given the full treatment, but Borthwick under-edged the offering into his middle stump which was duly uprooted from the turf.

Roland-Jones then found a smidgeon of away movement to find the edge of England captain Ben Stokes two balls later and Sam Robson took a smart catch at second slip.

And minutes later, Robson grabbed an even better one inches from the turf to send Ned Eckersley packing for just two off the bowling of Bamber, leaving Durham six down at lunch and just 44 in front.

Salisbury survived the mayhem to eclipse his previous career-best score of 41 immediately after the resumption, but a maiden first-class 50 eluded him as Bamber found the edge for Simpson to take his seventh catch of the game.

And that became eight when Bamber, awarded his county cap on Thursday, struck again to remove one of Durham’s first-innings heroes, Liam Trevaskis.

Durham counter-attacked as Ben Raine and Brydon Carse hit Luke Hollman out of the attack and greeted Tim Murtagh’s return with similar disdain.

Roland-Jones returned to break the stand of 41, Simpson again the catcher, but there would not be a record 10th catch as Murtagh had Chris Rushworth caught by Roland-Jones for a duck.

In the chase, Robson was an early victim of Raine, nibbling at one he could have left, and there were nerves when fellow opener Mark Stoneman edged spinner Trevaskis to Eckersley for a brisk 29.

Josh De Caires did little to ease those fears when bowled by Borthwick, and Max Holden then edged Trevaskis to slip with 29 still needed.

But Simpson twice planted Borthwick long hops into the Mound Stand as he and Handscomb saw Middlesex over the line.

Report supplied by the ECB Reporters’ Network.