Century for Smith as runs flow for Durham batsmen (From The Northern Echo)

Century for Smith as runs flow for Durham batsmen

12:08am Saturday 3rd September 2011 in Durham CCC Match Reports By Tim Wellock

THE threat from a fret was far greater than that from Sussex yesterday as Durham closed in remorselessly on victory at Hove.

They could have been made to look foolish for batting on for a lead of 520 before declaring at tea, but play was allowed to continue in the swirling mist and Sussex closed on 119 for four.

The umpires did consult at 5.15, ironically during the first over of slow bowling by Ian Blackwell. But they stayed on and Blackwell struck in his fourth over when he defeated Murray Goodwin's attempted sweep to gain the third lbw verdict.

Shortly afterwards the mist vanished but Matt Prior almost paid for cloudy judgement when he set off for a non-existent single and only just got back.

He went on to play some fine shots in reaching 22, but six overs from the close Blackwell was handed a second wicket when Ed Joyce pulled him to Scott Borthwick at deep square leg to depart for 57.

Victory will take Durham ten points ahead of previous leaders Lancashire, and they will also be ahead of Warwickshire if Yorkshire's fightback at Edgbaston continues.

Durham declared on 366 for seven in their second innings after all the top six, other than the injured Michael Di Venuto, helped themselves to relatively easy runs.

Conditions were good until the sea fret began to appear just before tea and with the South African Wayne Parnell being kept out of the Sussex attack there wasn't much to fear.

Occasional off-spinner Chris Nash got through 27 overs to take four for 103 and Monty Panesar picked up his first two wickets of the match.

Will Smith, on 54 when Durham resumed on 93 without loss, went on to complete his third century of the season off 192 balls.

There were several well-timed cuts and some delicate steers to third man among his 15 fours, plus a pulled six on the pavilion side.

Durham made a brisk start, taking 11 off a Panesar over with Mark Stoneman the main aggressor. He was lbw to Nash for 45 when aiming for the short leg-side boundary.

Smith put on 65 with Paul Collingwood, but as soon as he reached his hundred he looked to accelerate and in trying to paddle Panesar to fine leg he fell lbw.

Durham added 107 in the morning session and Collingwood pressed on straight afterwards as 166 were scored in the afternoon.

He drove Panesar for a big six over long-on, but in going for a repeat he fell slightly short and was caught for 51.

Both Blackwell and Mitch Claydon cleared the pavilion when hitting Nash over mid-wicket and Blackwell also hit six fours in reaching 61 off 68 balls.

There were plenty of balls he couldn't reach early in his innings as Amjad Khan kept bowling bouncers which climbed over his head.

Blackwell was finally stumped as Nash gained all his wickets through Durham trying to press on.

When Sussex batted Nash sliced Callum Thorp just wide of Smith at gully for four in the second over but fell lbw two balls later.

In the fifth over Graham Onions pinned Luke Wells in front to make it 25 for two, but Joyce and Goodwin put on 46 with relative comfort until both surrendered.