Durham on the brink of win

BEN STOKES’ sensational bowling helped Durham to close in on their second successive championship win before John Hastings capitalised on Sussex’s disenchantment.

The Australian took four wickets but was unable to grab the final one, so Sussex will resume on the final day 318 behind on 173 for nine.

After a tea-time declaration, the visitors were 134 for eight after a 38-over evening session and Durham claimed the extra half hour to which they were entitled in an effort to force a three-day win.

The old tactic of demoralising opponents by batting on to set an impossible target worked a treat, although not before Stokes had knocked over the top order following an opening stand of 30.

Of the first 13 wickets Durham took in the match, Stokes had ten and was denied an 11th by a rare drop by Scott Borthwick at second slip with Ed Joyce on 17.

It wasn’t costly as the Irish left-hander added only seven before slicing a drive off Paul Coughlin to be caught by Michael Richardson at gully.

After Keaton Jennings made 103 and Borthwick 95, Sussex were set a target of 492 to win and progressed easily enough to 30 before the opening stand was again ended fortuitously.

In Stokes’ second over lefthander Luke Wells edged low to Phil Mustard, who deflected the ball to Borthwick.

It was Mustard’s third assist of the match and for the unfortunate Wells it was identical to his first innings dismissal.

Durham then enjoyed another repeat of their first innings fortune when the ball was changed, just as it had been in every innings.

This time they complained about it after a mere five overs and when it was changed after 12 Stokes began to find some steepling bounce.

Chris Nash edged a snorter to Mustard, who clung on at head height, then in his next over Stokes had Rory Hamilton- Brown lbw to complete his first ten-wicket match haul.

After five overs he had figures of three for ten, but although he kept going for a further seven overs and returned for two more at the end there was no more reward.

Hastings returned for his second spell and had Ben Brown caught by Borthwick before Steffan Piolet fell lbw and Luke Wright pulled a catch straight to deep square leg.

The capitulation continued as Steve Magoffin edged an airy drive to Mustard and in the first of the additional eight overs Chris Rushworth picked up his first wicket of the match when Jon Lewis gave Mustard his seventh catch in addition to his three assists.

What became a 46-over evening session ended at 7.30 and was played in bright conditions after bad light had interrupted play six overs before the scheduled tea interval.

Paul Collingwood had still not declared, but as tea was taken at that point he did declare with Durham on 359 for six, asking Sussex to score 152 more than any side has made to win when batting fourth at Riverside.

Sussex are probably sick of the sight of Jennings, who signed off last season with a century at Hove and frustrated them again yesterday as he extended his stand with Borthwick to 200.

They settled for steady progress in the first hour then accelerated as they added 116 without being parted before a brief shower arrived eight minutes before lunch.

Having resumed on 46, Jennings coped comfortably with Jon Lewis’s in-swing and drove a wide half volley through extra cover to reach 50 off 117 balls.

But when the bowlers started to concentrate on moving the ball away from him he failed to connect with several drives and was lucky not to get an edge.

When he did get a thick edge off Magoffin when aiming for mid-on the ball flew over backward point for four.

Borthwick was the dominant partner and drove Lewis Hatchett wide of mid-on to complete his 50 off 121 balls.

He then hit Steffan Piolet for three fours in an over, two being driven gloriously through extra cover and the other pulled in front of midwicket.

After making 92 in last week’s win against Lancashire, Borthwick departed for 95, edging a good ball from the deserving Magoffin to second slip.

Jennings also edged to James Tredwell when he attempted to cut Hatchett four balls after completing his hundred off 215 balls by clipping the same bowler behind square for his 13th four.

Stokes smashed three fours off a Hatchett over on his way to 31 off 25 balls before he tried to pull a ball from Tredwell which kept low and bottom-edged into his stumps.

Michael Richardson and Gordon Muchall put on 58 in 12 overs and both were on 37 when Richardson edged an attempted hook off Piolet to the wicketkeeper. But, like Jennings, he had ended a lean run and, even though they will surely lose Stokes to England, Durham are looking in good shape all round.

SCORECARD

At Emirates Durham ICG.
Overnight: Sussex 205 (L J Wright 66
no; B A Stokes 7-67). Durham 337(M
D Stoneman 113, J W Hastings 51; L J
Hatchett 5-113, J Lewis 4-66) and105-1.

Durham Second Innings
K K Jennings c Tredwell b Hatchett .103
S Borthwick c Tredwell b Magoffin ....95
M Richardson c B C Brown b Piolet.. 37
B A Stokes b Tredwell........................... 31
P Collingwood c H-Brown b T’dwell .... 5
G J Muchall not out................................ 37
P Mustard not out .................................... 0
Extras (b9 lb18 nb2) ...........29
Total 6 wkts dec (94 ov) .. 359
Fall: 1-35 2-235 3-253 4-295 5-301 6-359
Bowling: Magoffin 25-4-74-1. Hatchett
20-1-75-1. Lewis 12-3-37-1. Tredwell 19-
1-78-2. Piolet 16-2-58-1. Hamilton-Brown
1-0-6-0. Nash 1-0-4-0.

Sussex Second Innings Close
L W Wells c Borthwick b Stokes........ 17
C D Nash c Mustard b Stokes ............ 18
R J Hamilton-Brown lbw b Stokes ........ 7
E C Joyce c Richardson b Couglin ....23
L J Wright c Muchall b Hastings.........30
B C Brown c Borthwick b Hastings... 14
S A Piolet lbw b Hastings....................... 0
J C Tredwell not out ............................... 41
S J Magoffin c Mustard b Hastings...... 2
J Lewis c Mustard b Rushworth............ 2
L J Hatchett not out.................................. 4
Extras (b8 lb2 w1 nb4)....... 15
Total 9 wkts (46 overs) .....173
Fall: 1-30 2-43 3-44 4-93 5-117 6-119
7-124 8-127 9-134
Bowling: Rushworth 9-1-28-1. Hastings
16-4-47-4. Stokes 14-3-54-3. Coughlin
7-1-34-1.