Chris Rushworth has admitted that he was delighted to take his 450th first-class wicket, but has insisted that milestones mean little without success for Durham.

The 32-year-old reached the mark in his side’s draw against Northamptonshire in their Specsavers County Championship Division Two clash, trapping Rob Keogh lbw for a duck on day two.

However, a washout at Emirates Riverside prevented the north-east outfit from building on their first win of the campaign that came last time out against Derbyshire.

Rushworth revealed that he did not know that he was approaching the milestone, although he was pleased to tick it off on home soil rather than having to wait for the next match against Sussex at Hove, beginning on June 24 where Durham will search for their second win of the season.

“It’s nice to get the 450th first-class wicket. It’s one of those things that you don’t really think about it and you don’t know until it happens when you get a text or a message on social media,” Rushworth said.

“It’s always nice to go past milestones. I love it when I do it at the Riverside, it always makes it extra special.

“We’ve got to try win games with them as well. It’s always nice getting the milestones, but ultimately I want to win matches for Durham. We’ve got a few days to rest and recover and get ourselves right for travelling down to Brighton before our ground gets taken over (to host World Cup matches).

“We’ll have a few days down here next week where we will train hard. We’ve got to look at the game there to push hard and try to kickstart our season.”

Rushworth has maintained his excellence in the Championship this term, taking 27 wickets at an average of 19.44. He did not have it all his own way against Northants, seeing two routine chances dropped at slip, although he claimed three wickets in the innings.

“As a bowler you’re going to get days when you have dropped catches,” he said.

“There have been days when I’ve come off the field with four or five wickets without having bowled that particularly well. Other days where you think you’ve bowled as well as you can do and you don’t pick them up. You’ve got to take the good with the bad, sometimes it goes your way sometimes it doesn’t.”

Durham have attempted to ease the burden from his shoulders this term, resting the seamer for the Royal London One-Day Cup after he sustained an early-season injury.

The 32-year-old conceded he was frustrated to miss out, but is hopeful that the rest will stand him in good stead for later in the campaign.

“It was one of those things where I didn’t want to risk serious injury,” he added.

“Then the lads started doing quite well so the coaches didn’t really want to change the formula given that we were being quite successful in the group stage which I understood. I still want to play in every format and in every game so it was disappointing not to play.

“It was different, something I’ve not been used to. I have done it in the past, but I’ve just got to turn up and do my best in the T20s coming up then I’ll have a go.

“We’ve got a big four weeks coming up on the road, hopefully the body holds up and we can get some wins on the board.”