DURHAM paceman Stephen Harmison shrugged off a disappointing start in front of the Sky TV cameras at Riverside last night to rap out a reminder to the England selectors.

Harmison was unhappy about being left out of the fourth Test at Headingley, especially as he was declared fit after the injury he suffered at Trent Bridge.

He is determined to play in the final Test at The Oval, and the sheer pace he generated in the floodlit National League match against Sussex provided the crowd with much-needed entertainment.

But he sent down seven wides in his first five-over spell, which brought him figures of none for 20, before returning to take the last four wickets. His figures of four for 43 equalled his best in the competition.

Sussex, bottom of division two, were all out for 137 in 38.5 overs and Durham knocked off the runs for the loss of four wickets in 36.2 overs.

Although he would be disappointed not to complete the job, Paul Collingwood confirmed he has lost none of his one-day expertise during his lengthy absence by following his 48 on Sunday with 45.

The ease with which he took command after coming in at 14 for two allowed Ashley Thorpe to settle in comfortably and contribute 37 to a stand of 88 in 19 overs.

With the sky glowing red from the setting sun beneath threatening dark clouds, Durham were halfway to their target before the full effect of the lights was seen, and Thorpe further illuminated proceedings with some powerful off-side strokes.

Collingwood provided the class, driving fluently and pulling fiercely, with a superbly-timed back-foot clip wide of mid-on as good as anything.

But their momentum had dropped when both fell with the score on 102, Thorpe leaning back and cracking a catch to point before Collingwood chipped off-spinner Mark Davis to mid-wicket.

Jon Lewis was left to complete the task with an unbeaten 22.

After Sunday's equally easy win against Hampshire, who were dismissed for 131, the contest was again less than riveting for a crowd of around 4,000. Taking 16.2 overs to score the last 43 runs is not exactly the definition of floodlit fun, although Durham certainly couldn't be blamed for the drab climax.

They have pushed their annual floodlit fixture progressively further back in the season so that the darkening skies make the lights a greater spectacle.

But that runs the risk of having a contest with little at stake and Sussex chose to rest in-form skipper Chris Adams amd Tim Ambrose as they set their sights on winning the County Championship.

Their acting captain, Davis, chose to bat and they crawled to 54 for three after 20 overs.

Harmison's wides helped them to keep the score ticking over, but the television cameras showed umpire Tim Robinson was wrong to signal one of those wides as he should have upheld a confident appeal for a catch down the leg side instead.

Dutchman Baz Zuiderent had made one when he gloved the ball to wicketkeeper Phil Mustard and he took advantage of the reprieve to share the joint top score of 25 with Matt Prior.

After a disappointing World Cup for Holland, Zuiderent has rarely featured in the Sussex side this season, but was given his chance by Adams' absence. Accurate seam bowling by Neil Killeen and Mark Davies had Sussex struggling at 30 for two after 13 overs.

Killeen had a big lbw appeal turned down off the first ball of the match to Richard Montgomerie, who survived until the seventh over and was lucky to make one.

He would have been run out in scrambling the single to mid-wicket had Nicky Peng's shy hit the stumps.

Killeen's line just outside off stump shackled the batsmen and the only hint of aggression came in his third over, when Murray Goodwin drove him wide of mid-off then pulled the next ball for another four.

Killeen moved one away off the pitch in his next over to hit the top of Montgomerie's off stump, then Goodwin tried to pull Davies and bottom edged into his leg stump.

The busy approach of the diminutive Tony Cottey threatened to get the score moving, but on 22 he fell for Paul Collingwood's bait by cracking a catch straight to Jon Lewis at short extra cover.

Zuiderent began to play some attractive strokes, and when Graeme Bridge came on the Dutchman clobbered him wide of long-on then swept the next ball for another four. But after putting on 34 with Robin Martin-Jenkins he pushed forward in Bridge's next over, beaten by slight turn to fall lbw.

Martin-Jenkins swung across a well-flighted straight ball from Bridge and was bowled, then the Sky technology was called upon as the third umpire confirmed that Carl Hopkinson was run out.

Harmison did the rest with the help of brilliant catches off successive balls by Mustard and Martin Love, diving to his right at first slip. Unfortunately the hat-trick ball was fired down the leg side for another wide, but after impressing more than anyone with 25 off 27 balls Prior sliced an attempted big hit to third man, where Collingwood ran in to hold a good catch.

Jason Lewry and Billy Taylor added 16 for the last wicket before Harmison bowled Lewry, whose left-arm swing bowling has posed problems at Riverside before and quickly saw off the Durham openers last night. Love sliced a drive to point to depart for a duck, then Peng's drive was defeated as he lost his off stump to make it 14 for two.

But if Thorpe felt any pressure it was quickly lifted by Collingwood, who made 27 of the next 40 runs and once 50 had been passed in the 12th over there was little doubt that Durham would cruise home.

l Nicky Peng was presented with the Goldsmith's Player of the Month award for August during last night's interval. He received a £1,500 Corum watch after making 377 runs at an average of 47.12.