Paul Collingwood continued his prolific start to the season by reaching 665 runs in all cricket as Durham recovered from early problems against Warwickshire paceman Vasbert Drakes.

Collingwood emerged unscathed from the West Indian's opening burst of three for 20 in six overs and made an unbeaten 105 in re-directing his injury-weakened county to 250 for seven on a first day shortened by rain and bad light after tea.

The 24-year-old all-rounder scored his second century of the campaign - the first was against Durham University - in an impressive follow-up to his Benson & Hedges aggregate of two Gold Awards and 245 runs from five matches.

But in the context of Durham's pre-lunch struggle, this was probably the most valuable performance. Drakes' lively start was too much for Jon Lewis, fending to gully, Martin Speight, bowled off his pads, and Nicky Peng, edging a lifter behind the wicket

Durham quickly subsided to 58 for five with Michael Gough losing his off stump to former team-mate Melvyn Betts and Danny Law giving a second catch to Keith Piper from Alan Richardson's second ball.

But Collingwood found good support from Andrew Pratt and together they put on 108 before Pratt fell to Richardson for a career-best 52 when Dominic Ostler held a slip catch at the second attempt.

Collingwood safely reached tea with 19 fours from 171 balls, but the hold-up for rain was the undoing of his next partner, Ian Hunter, after a stand of 84. He was yorked by Alan Richardson for 31 in the third over after a brief re-start.

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