A first glimpse of form from Ian Bell restored some order at Edgbaston, where 15 wickets fell on day one of Warwickshire's game with Durham.
After scoring only 134 runs in nine Test innings against Pakistan and Sri Lanka,
Bell made an unbeaten 59 in the home side's struggle to 116 for five in reply to Durham's 163.
Watched by England batting coach Graham Thorpe, Bell gradually imposed his quality after Warwickshire had lost four wickets for 14, including that of England team-mate
Jonathan Trott.
Varun Chopra and Trott fell in four overs from Graham Onions before Bell, with eight fours in his highest first-class score since August, steadied the ship with staunch assistance from Darren Maddy (35).
They put on 85 until the impressive Onions shifted Maddy shortly before the close with a neat catch at second slip by Michael Di Venuto.
Keith Barker was mainly responsible for Durham's troubles while improving on his best Championship figures for the second time in 10 days.
Durham lost the toss for only the third time in 19 Championship matches and there was a price to pay when Barker surpassed five for 52 against his native Lancashire by taking five for 33.
The visitors lost four wickets in the most difficult period for batting up to lunch, but allowed their discipline to collapse when Barker claimed four for one in 12 balls during his afternoon spell.
Durham have already suffered at the hands of Barker, who scored a maiden century off their bowling at Edgbaston last year.
And having worked on his left-arm swing bowling over the winter, he has taken his opportunity in the absence of the injured new-ball pair Chris Woakes and Boyd Rankin.
Teaming up with former Essex seamer Chris Wright, who took the supporting role with four for 41, they have shared 32 wickets in their county's rise to the top of the early Division One table.
Wright was first to strike today - Will Smith edging a catch behind the wicket - and Barker had conceded only three runs in 5.5 overs when an inswinger trapped Paul Collingwood in front.
Di Venuto, having passed 25,000 first-class runs in making 29, and Dale Benkenstein joined the list of lbw dismissals, but Ben Stokes looked comfortable in seeing Durham through to lunch.
Playing only as a batsman after a scan of his back revealed no new damage, the England Lions all-rounder got to 35 before a loose drive gave Barker the first of three wickets in an over.
Callum Thorp smashed a long hop to short midwicket but Warwickshire were then held up by a partnership of 49, the biggest of the innings.
While Ian Blackwell played conservatively for 19, Onions put the conditions into perspective with a confident 36 until Wright came back to take the last two wickets.
