Result: Durham (287 & 204; Weighell 58; Philander 4/39; 3 points) lost to Sussex (668; Wells 258, van Zyl 149; Coughlin 3/127; 24 points) by an innings and 177 runs
Ryan Pringle & James Weighell battled hard but Durham fell to an innings and 177 run defeat at the hands of Sussex at Hove.
Pringle, who batted for four and a quarter hours for his unbeaten 38, showed application & concentration along with sound defensive technique to extend the game past lunch.
All-rounder Weighell added a glut of boundaries to rack up a new first-class best & his maiden first-class half-century before being bowled by Jofra Archer after lunch.
But it was nowhere near enough to deny a Sussex side buoyed by the return of Vernon Philander, Luke Wells and Chris Jordan.
Durham resumed on 97/4, still 284 runs behind. but Sussex broke through with the fifth ball of the second over the morning when Paul Collingwood was lbw to David Wiese.
Paul Coughlin then lost his middle stump to Archer, shouldering arms, the ball appearing to deflect onto his wicket via his gloves, while Stuart Poynter was caught behind off Archer for a duck.
Weighell top-scored & enjoyed his stay in the middle, hitting Chris Jordan for four fours in an over, three driven square on the off side and another pulled over midwicket.
Philander had Chris Rushworth caught at third slip before Graham Onions, who bowled only ten overs in the match because of a sore back, did come out to bat, but the South African uprooted his middle stump first ball.
Durham now turn around quickly for the visit to Swansea commencing on Friday.
Close, Day Three: Durham (287 & 97/4) trail Sussex (668; Wells 258, van Zyl 149; Coughlin 3/127) by 284 runs
An unbroken fifth-wicket stand of 56 between Paul Collingwood & Ryan Pringle has given Durham a fighting chance on the final day of the Specsavers County Championship match against Sussex.
From a position of 41/4, the pair staved off Sussex’s advances for the entire evening session, the partnership taking up 35 overs at the close of play.
Collingwood survived a hairy moment when they ball kept low off David Wiese, but he kept it out to accompany Pringle to the end of Day Three.
It came after the hosts hit 668 all out following some big hits in the lower order, despite the wicket of overnight centurion Stiaan van Zyl in the first few overs.
The South African had his off stump uprooted by Chris Rushworth before Paul Coughlin took a sharp return catch to dismiss Chris Jordan.
Wiese planed Cameron Steel into the hands of Pringle at long-on but wicketkeeper Michael Burgess had already passed fifty & continued on his way.
Even when he fell for 76, bowled by Pringle for his first wicket, number ten Jofra Archer added another 80 in a last wicket stand with Danny Briggs.
Archer struck some lusty blows post-lunch, with 30 of his 70 runs scored coming in maximums, as Durham spread the field. He was eventually caught by Rushworth on the boundary, handing Pringle a second wicket.
After over a day-and-a-half in the field, things went from bad to worse as Stephen Cook nicked fellow countryman Vernon Philander to slip.
Keaton Jennings was then bowled by Philander, Steel caught in the slips & Graham Clark trapped LBW – both dismissed by Chris Jordan – as things moved further south.
However, the partnership between Collingwood & Pringle has handed Durham a fighting chance heading into the fourth & final day.
Close, Day Two: Sussex (452/4; Wells 258, van Zyl 141*) lead Durham (287; Coughlin 73, Pringle 60; Archer 5/76) by 165 runs
Durham managed just three wickets throughout the whole of Day Two as a record third wicket partnership frustrated them at Hove.
Luke Wells hit a career best 258 for Sussex as he and Stiaan van Zyl put on 376 for the third wicket, a record stand for any wicket against Durham.
Graham Onions managed a wicket from the ball’s fourth day & Paul Coughlin struck twice late on, but not before the mammoth stand put the hosts firmly in control on a day where nothing went Durham’s way.
In an innings that increased in attacking nature the longer the overs passed, Wells hit 34 fours and seven sixes. He didn’t hit a maximum in his 165-ball century but as he approached his double hundred, he hit Chris Rushworth over long-leg for six.
He then steered James Weighhell to third man for four to reach his 200 before flicking the bowler’s next delivery over midwicket for another six.
Wells reserved his most savage batting for Ryan Pringle, who’s tidy figures for the day were ruined when the left-hander struck 32 runs off the bat in a single over.
South African van Zyl was also in superb touch, reaching his 22nd first-class century from 205 balls. At the close he was 141 not out in a Sussex total of 452/4.
After taking the first wicket, that of Chris Nash caught behind after he was dropped from the previous ball, Onions left the field of play owing to a back injury. He will be assessed by physio Nigel Kent & could yet bowl in the second innings.
Coughlin ended the partnership, having Wells caught by Keaton Jennings on the boundary, before adding the wicket of Luke Wright an over later, caught behind by a superb flying catch from Stuart Poynter.
But the day belonged to Sussex & they remain firmly in control with two days to play.
Close, Day One: Sussex (43/1) trail Durham (287; Coughlin 73, Pringle 60; Archer 5/76) by 244 runs
Paul Coughlin & Ryan Pringle combined for a 110-run stand & made it honours even on Day One of the Specsavers County Championship match against Sussex at Hove.
The pair’s sixth-wicket stand proved the backbone to a total of 287 all out, with the hosts closing on 43/1 in reply.
Coughlin passed fifty for the fourth time in his first-class career – & second against Sussex – while Pringle passed the same milestone for the sixth time after they came together with the score at 129/5.
There was brief confusion shortly after tea as Pringle flicked Jordan to long leg, where David Wiese appeared to take a fine running catch, but umpires Graham Lloyd and Ben Debenham decided it was inconclusive & gave the batsman out.
Sussex appeared to raise their game in the following overs & Durham lost their last five wickets for 48 runs.
Earlier in the day, Durham were going well on 72/1 but then lost three wickets in as many overs just before lunch to go to the break on 90/4.
Two of the late wickets went to Vernon Philander, dismissing Cameron Steel to a soft dismissal caught at square-leg, before he had Stephen Cook lbw for 45 in his next over.
Then Jofra Archer, who had taken the first Durham wicket when he removed Keaton Jennings off-stump for 12, struck again when he had Paul Collingwood lbw for nine.
Danny Briggs came on at 129 and struck with his first delivery when he had Graham Clark lbw for 23 before the reviving and controversial stand between Coughlin and Pringle.
With 11 overs left to be bowled, Chris Rushworth & Graham Onions shared the new ball – and the latter struck immediately.
Harry Finch hung his bat outside the off stump & Pringle completed a good, low catch in the slip cordon, but it was to be the only wicket before the close of play.