Rain cannot save Durham from heavy defeat

SUSSEX wrapped their seventh Specsavers County Championship win of the season when they beat Durham by 132 runs at Chester-leStreet.

Durham were 131-9 when play was halted by rain just before 2.00.

However, on the resumption at 4.15 it was all over in six balls as No 11 Graham Onions drove Chris Jordan straight to mid-off.

Five defeats had cost Sussex a chance of promotion so they fielded a young side for this match - and there were three wickets each today for 20-year-old George Garton and Stuart Whittingham.

Jordan also deservedly picked up three, his two early ones coming as Durham crumbled to 61-7 before James Weighell contributed 38 to a stand of 50 with Brydon Carse.

Whittingham took two in three balls after lunch when he swung one through left-hander Weighell’s airy drive to take out the middle stump, then Chris Rushworth played on. That brought in Onions and he and Carse survived for 20 balls before the rain arrived.

Durham were all out for 131, ending their seven-match unbeaten run, after resuming on 5-0 in glorious sunshine.

Coach John Lewis said: “We would have preferred not to chase more than 200 but the pitch was still good and we thought 264 was gettable.

“We have to give credit to Sussex for bowling well but there were also some soft dismissals.”