Middlesex 422 (Robson 84, Holden 71, Andersson 62, Stokes 4-72, Rushworth 3-60) and 119 for 4 (Handscomb 39*) beat Durham 350 (Trevaskis 80*, Eckersley 58, Roland-Jones 4-72) and 188 (Borthwick 60, Roland-Jones 6-35) by six wickets
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 the reintroduction of Roland-Jones gave it a much needed kiss of life.
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.
Minutes later Robson grabbed an even better one inches from the turf to send Ned Eckersley packing for just 2 off the bowling of Bamber, leaving Durham six down at lunch and just 44 in front.
The Durham response was to counter-attack, Ben Raine and Brydon Carse unfurling a succession of meaty blows, hitting Luke Hollman out of the attack and greeting the return of Tim Murtagh with similar disdain. It needed Roland-Jones to return to break the stand of 41, Simpson again the catcher.
There wouldn’t be a record 10th as after Raine (39 not out) deposited Murtagh into the Mound Stand, the bowler had Chris Rushworth caught by Roland-Jones for a duck.
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 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 to send them back to the top of the Division Two table.