MICHAEL Di Venuto and Dale Benkenstein's unbeaten half-centuries revived Durham hopes of starting the defence of their title with a draw, despite having to follow on against Essex at the Riverside.

The dual champions lost nine wickets in the afternoon session to be bowled out for 198 in reply to 484 and then stumbled to four for two by tea on day three of their first LV= Division One match of the summer.

Promoted Essex had an obvious chance of forcing a notable win over a team bidding for their third successive title. But the 'old firm' of Di Venuto (75no) and Benkenstein (62no) dug in with typical determination for an unbroken stand of 143 at stumps.

That left Durham still 139 behind but with feasible prospects again of closing out a stalemate after all at the start of a high-profile campaign. Chris Wright, Tim Phillips (three for eight) and Ryan ten Doeschate each took three first-innings wickets - and seven fell for 33 runs.

David Masters then dispatched both Kyle Coetzer and Will Smith for second-innings ducks, each dismissed for the second time in successive sessions.

But by tea, Di Venuto and Benkenstein were already hinting at what was to come and then duly negotiated a wicketless evening with little alarm.

Their workmanlike approach brought only nine fours between them in their 50s, but they looked in control throughout.

Essex had eked out just two wickets before lunch in a match which seemed destined for a draw on a sedate pitch.

But Benkenstein and Ian Blackwell were able to add only three runs between them before they went in early afternoon - and in the end, Durham's last nine first-innings wickets fell in only 35 overs.

Patience has been key throughout for both batsmen and bowlers on a surface providing little pace for either.

But there has been occasional low bounce too - and after Durham resumed on another sunny day on 83 for one, that unpredictability was what did for Coetzer (55).

He went back and had no chance with a Ten Doeschate shooter which saw him off lbw.

The opener had hit seven fours in his 115-ball 50, and was the more convincing contributor in his and captain Smith's stand of 91.

Smith had escaped on 28, out of 91 for one, when Alastair Cook - perhaps put off by James Foster diving in front of him - failed to lay a hand on a low chance at first slip off Masters.

But Foster made no mistake when Smith, who had never looked comfortable and endured a thorough working-over from Graham Napier, failed to move his feet to cut and edged behind after some more low bounce from Wright (three for 42).

Benkenstein and Blackwell were nonetheless nicely established by lunch, with Durham appearing acceptably placed to at least avoid the follow-on.

It did not take long for an urgent reappraisal, Blackwell chopping a long-hop from Wright on to his stumps and Benkenstein edging a catch behind down the leg-side off Masters.

Wickets had fallen in clusters through the first two days; this time they just kept tumbling.

Phil Mustard was lbw trying to clip Ten Doeschate (three for 53) to leg, and then the introduction of Phillips' spin - he had bowled a solitary over last night - brought two more in one over.

A modicum of turn did the trick for the left-arm orthodox, teenager Ben Stokes inside-edging behind and Callum Thorp bowled for a second-ball duck.

A ninth-wicket stand of 20 between Liam Plunkett and Mitch Claydon briefly interrupted the procession, only for both the tailenders to succumb in quick succession and make the enforcement of the follow-on a formality.

Once Masters had then shifted Coetzer and Smith - clean-bowled, and edging a useful delivery behind - inside three overs second time round, the danger of a first home defeat since June 2008 was all too evident for Durham.

They had not followed on since September 2006, so whatever the outcome of their struggle they could hardly draw on recent experience.

Di Venuto and Benkenstein have seen most match situations before, though, and duly restored a calm which left much head-scratching over what could have been the reason for all the earlier fuss.

Phillips expects more Durham resistance tomorrow - but still thinks Essex have outstanding prospects of pushing for a memorable win which would be their second in succession since rejoining the top flight last week.

"We've squeezed hard today and come out on top. We took nine wickets in a session - which doesn't happen every day of the week," he said.

"But any side following on is going to dig deep, and their only realistic option is to try to draw the game.

"When your backs are against the wall you're going to fight like hell, and we expect that of a top-class side who have proved that over the last couple of seasons."

Victory over the champions would be a significant prize, though, and make Essex themselves early front-runners after their last-ditch success against Hampshire at Chelmsford.

"We've given ourselves a real chance in the game, and made a real statement about coming out of Division Two for the first time in a number of years by starting in such a positive way," Phillips added.

"I hope we can push that on tomorrow and pick up a result. It will be tough work, but we'll give it our best shot."