Alex Barrow hit a career-best 83 not out to ensure Somerset a draw on the final day of their LV= County Championship Division One clash with Durham at Taunton.

Having resumed on 7-0, the struggling home side, who have not won in the competition this season, looked in trouble at 135-5 in their second innings, leading by only 100 early in the afternoon session.

But Barrow batted well to eclipse his previous best first-class score of 69, made against Yorkshire at Headingley in 2011, and the 21-year-old was unbeaten when the teams shook hands at 4.50pm with Somerset on 266-8.

The first wicket of the day fell when Somerset were on 43, with Nick Compton lifting a catch to fine-leg off Mark Wood.

It was 54-2 when fellow opener Marcus Trescothick (25) dragged the ball onto his stumps trying to sweep Scott Borthwick.

Slump

The hosts then slumped to 76-3 when Arul Suppiah was caught at silly mid-on by Borthwick off Ryan Buckley for 19 and Durham must have scented an unlikely victory when James Hildreth was picked up at slip by Will Smith off Borthwick for a single.

At 79-4, Somerset's lead was only 44 but Dean Elgar helped Barrow steady things, contributing 31 to a stand of 56 before fencing at a short ball from Wood and edging a catch to Borthwick at second slip.

But Barrow added 83 for the sixth wicket with Peter Trego (38) and by the time the all-rounder was lbw to Ben Stokes, having faced 60 balls, Somerset had reached 218-6 and led by 183.

Craig Meschede was caught behind for four trying to leave a delivery from Graham Onions and George Dockrell was the last man out, bowled by Onions, also for four.

But Somerset held on for the draw and both teams took nine points from a game in which the flat pitch had the final say. As for the future, the hosts will need to produce more bowler-friendly pitches to force the victories they need to avoid a prolonged relegation battle.