Durham home in on win over Sussex
Last updated on .From the section Counties
| LV County Championship Division One, Hove |
| Close, day three: Durham 372 & 366-7dec, Sussex 218 & 119-4 |
| Durham 7pts, Sussex 4pts |
| Match scorecard |
Will Smith struck his third Championship century of the summer to help Durham close in on victory over Sussex at Hove.
Smith was out for exactly 100, while Ian Blackwell hit 61 and Paul Collingwood 51, as Durham moved from 93-0 overnight to declare on 366-7.
Set an unlikely 521 to win, Sussex lost Ed Joyce for 57 late in the day as they closed on 119-4.
Victory for Durham is likely to take them back to the top of the table.
The large gathering of former Sussex players present at Hove would not have been impressed by the efforts of the current crop to stave off defeat.
The old boys were present for a lunchtime ceremony which involved re-naming the pavilion and most of them stayed for a surreal evening session played mostly in a swirling mist.
Durham could have been made to look foolish for batting on so long but, although the umpires consulted once, they decided to stay on and the last few overs were played in sunshine.
