DURHAM CRUSHED BY SUSSEX IN THREE DAYS
CHAMPIONSHIP DRUBBING AFTER LOSING SIX WICKETS FOR NINE RUNS IN DISMAL START
Durham suffered only their second Specsavers County Championship Division Two match of the season at Arundel yesterday, crushed by an innings and 64 runs.
It was an impressive performance by Sussex, with a spirited bowling and fielding display building on the maiden century heroes of their solitary innings, Tom Haines and Phil Salt.
For Durham, it was a disappointing performance from their young side as they headed home with a paltry three points, while Sussex secured the maximum 24.
They lost six wickets for nine runs as their first innings disintegrated and then, having followed on 341 runs behind, slipped to 88-5 to leave their position hopeless.
When Durham resumed on 202-4 the overnight pair of Will Smith (90) and Gareth Harte (13) were still nurturing hopes of avoiding the follow-on.
However, the visitors collapsed in 10.5 overs. Danny Briggs took the key wicket of Smith – lbw sweeping – with the fifth ball of the day.
David Wiese then broke the innings with three wickets in seven deliveries. He bowled Stuart Poynter and then Josh Coughlin first ball, then had Nathan Rimmington caught down the leg-side, as Durham lost four wickets for one run.
Harte, who had scored one run in half an hour as he watched miserably from the non-striker’s end, was caught behind off Briggs and, finally, Wiese bowled Matt Salisbury for eight.
Sussex enforced the follow-on and, in the fifth over, Cameron Steel was bowled by a fine delivery from Jofra Archer when the batsman did not offer a stroke.
Durham were unable to turn the tide. Tom Latham (20) was bowled by Ollie Robinson through the gate when he might have been forward.
Smith (36) was then brilliantly caught by Harry Finch at wide second slip, low down and right-handed off Wiese.
Four balls later Paul Collingwood, playing across one from the same bowler, was lbw and it was 88-5.
Harte was sharply caught down the leg-side by Ben Brown off Briggs, who then had Graham Clark lbw to make it 137-6.
A fighting 84 from Poynter, off 109 balls, ensured Sussex took the new ball, but Robinson soon bowled Salisbury before Archer completed the match when he caught and bowled Chris Rushworth.
Durham will look to turn their fortunes around at the Emirates Riverside, starting on Monday, when they host Warwickshire in a day-night pink-ball Championship clash, with a 2pm start.
Meanwhile, Durham will warm up for the Vitality Blast with two T20 matches against league representative teams.
The Jets will tackle an NYSD League side at Hartlepool on Monday, July 2 (5.30pm), before meeting a North East Premier League select at Chester-le-Street’s Ropery Lane 24 hours later.
Admission will be free for both matches as Jon Lewis’s side warm up for the Vitality Blast opener against Yorkshire Vikings at Emerald Headingley on Thursday, July 5.