THE Duke rode to the rescue for Durham with the bat yesterday, only to find himself totally out of luck with the ball.

Going in at No 10 when three wickets had fallen on 222, big John Hastings made 72 to earn a first innings lead of four against Sussex at Chester-le-Street. But in a nine-over spell of sustained accuracy it was astonishing that he didn't take a wicket.

He repeatedly beat the bat and of the six runs he conceded in his first six overs four came off an edge which just eluded second slip and he looked to have Craig Cachopa plumb lbw on nine. But umpire Graham Lloyd thought otherwise.

Cachopa looked as though he would get out at any time but it was one of the poorer balls which snared him for 24 when he skied an attempted pull off Graham Onions to mid-off.

Sussex closed on 114 for three, leading by 110, after Chris Nash and Ed Joyce put on 55 for the first wicket with the ball reluctant to swing in the evening chill.

Hastings said: "The first session tomorrow is massive for both sides. Big stands down the order in both first innings showed that you can score runs when the balls gets a bit softer.

“So for us it's crucial that we take wickets while the ball is still fairly hard in the next 20 overs. We wouldn't want to chase more than 250 in the fourth innings.”

Visitors from Mars might have formed the impression from both sides' first innings that the best batsmen went in last.

That Durham reached 339 owed much to a ninth-wicket stand of 116 between Hastings and Usman Arshad, who came together after three wickets went down in five balls on 222.

Considering that Sussex had put on 164 for the last wicket, the only reason for Hastings to distrust last man Graham Onions was that the new ball had just been taken. The burly Aussie had an almighty heave and sliced a catch all the way to third man, where dream debut boy Oliver Robinson held the catch.

He had taken four wickets, including the prize scalp of Paul Collingwood, to go with his century and Sussex will doubtless be very grateful if he continues to turn up on time. Tardiness was apparently one of his faults prior to his sacking by Yorkshire.

The game is littered with talented players who have fallen by the wayside because they don't have the temperament for full-time cricket and it will be very interesting to see where Robinson goes from here.

After 438 runs were scored on the frenetic first day, Durham had to graft through a tough morning session against some fine bowling, none better than that from the wicketless Matt Hobden.

The score moved on from the overnight 103 for two to 189 for five with Michael Richardson falling lbw to Ajmal Shahzad off the penultimate ball before lunch.

He had battled tenaciously for 37 after arriving in the fourth over when nightwatchman Chris Rushworth was guilty of careless driving, offering mid-off a simple catch off Shahzad, who finished with four for 72.

Hobden's figures at the start of the day read 2-0-29-0 after taking a pummelling from Mark Stoneman, but he found bounce and movement to cause real problems.

It's a mystery how he devised a run-up which starts with a two-pace shuffle from the left before turning at right angles into what is otherwise a smooth approach.

Scott Borthwick needed attention after being struck on the helmet by Hobden and struggled on before departing for 23 when he edged Robinson to Ben Brown.

Richardson twice edged Hobden over the slips as he dug in with Calum MacLeod, who looked set to cash in on the ageing ball after lunch when he picked up Shahzad deep into the empty seats behind square leg.

But on 22 he drove lavishly at the same bowler and edged to the wicketkeeper. Phil Mustard poked a catch to third slip two balls later, then Robinson found extra bounce to have Collingwood caught at second slip.

It was a surprise that Shahzad took out his third slip and Hastings edged him through there during a watchful start.

Arshad looked comfortable enough and runs began to flow once Hastings followed a straight drive off Robinson by pulling the next ball fiercely for four.

With no frontline spinner in their side, Sussex turned to the occasional off breaks of Chris Nash and after initially setting about him the batsmen became more circumspect to ensure the third batting point was gained.

Hastings went to his 64-ball 50 with a neat clip off his toes for his eighth four and Durham had just taken the lead when Arshad fell for 35, driving Steve Magoffin to mid-off in the first over with the new ball. Hastings departed two overs later.