BEN Smith's second hundred in successive Frizzell County Championship matches guided Worcestershire out of a tight corner after a collapse to 121-7 on the third day against Durham at New Road.

Durham's four seamers looked likely to claim a meaningful advantage until Smith reached 106 not out during an unbroken partnership of 105 with Chaminda Vaas.

The seventh-wicket pair overcame difficult batting conditions on an inconsistent surface and dragged their side up to 226-7, only 30 behind the Division Two leaders, when rain ended play soon after tea.

Durham had only themselves to blame after putting down three chances within six overs.

Graeme Hick (13) escaped twice before falling to Mark Davies, but it was all profit for Smith when Paul Collingwood failed to hold a relatively straightforward edge to first slip off Liam Plunkett.

The 33-year-old former Leicestershire batsman hit 16 fours from 169 balls in completing his 10th hundred in four seasons with Worcestershire.

Significantly it was his first since he resigned the captaincy last August.

Smith had to be work hard against Durham's highly successful pace attack, now spearheaded by Australian Ashley Noffke, as well as ride his luck, before finding some freedom with the assured Vaas.

Even when well set in the 80s, he edged the unlucky Plunkett wide of second slip, but Vaas, with three first-class centuries in Sri Lankan cricket, again underlined his batting qualities with a defiant unbeaten 43 from 86 balls.

Until Vaas injected much-needed stability, it seemed Worcestershire would be dismissed for less than 200l.

Plunkett and Noffke swept aside the overnight pair, Stephen Moore edging behind the wicket and James Pipe finding third slip.

Davies had figures of 2-1 in 17 balls after removing both Hick and skipper Vikram Solanki with the help of slip catches.

Lunching at 84-5, Worcestershire quickly slipped into more trouble. Zander de Bruyn was nailed on the crease by Davies and Kabir Ali was also leg-before to give Collingwood his only success so far.