DURHAM put Sussex in to bat on a sunny morning and reduced them to 104 for five at lunch with Chris Rushworth and Graham Onions both picking up two wickets at the Lumley End.

Onions and Ben Stokes struggled at the Finchale End, where Callum Thorp eventually took a wicket when he had left-hander Luke Wells caught behind.

Thorp retained his place in an unchanged side as Durham continued to ignore the opportunity to give Mark Wood more experience.

Sussex, on the other hand, drafted in three youngsters, even though they have more to play for than Durham, with second place prizemoney up for grabs.

Neither Murray Goodwin nor Matt Prior was included, while Ed Joyce was with the Ireland squad preparing for the World Twenty20 Championship.

The team included 21-year-old Matt Machan, a left-handed batsman from Brighton, left-arm swing bowler Lewis Hatchett and right-arm seamer Will Adkin.

Acting captain Chris Nash took seven off Onions’ opening over then drove at Rushworth’s first ball and edged to Paul Collingwood at first slip.

Rushworth also had Mike Yardy lbw in an excellent six-over spell in which he also found the edge several times without the ball going to hand.

Onions was rested after four overs but struck quickly when he was switched to replace Rushworth. Joe Gatting fell lbw and Machan sliced a four before edging to Collingwood.

It was 67 for five when Wells departed reluctantly for 25, clearly feeling he hadn’t edged Thorp’s away swinger.

Left-hander Luke Wernars reached 25 at lunch in an unbroken stand of 37 with wicketkeeper Ben Brown.