Unblemished records in the balance

Durham 339 (Hastings 72, Robinson 4-71, Shahzad 4-72) and 115-2 require a further 147 runs to beat Sussex 335 (Robinson 110, Hobden 64*) and 265 (Machan 80, Rushworth 5-81)
Scorecard

The rain which had been threatening to disrupt play throughout the first two days eventually came on day three, but not before Durham, led by Chris Rushworth's five-wicket haul, bowled out Sussex for 265 to set up an intriguing day four at Chester-le-Street.

After record partnerships from tail enders on the first two days, there was a hint of normalcy in the proceedings on a day in which bowlers took wickets and batsmen scored runs.

Sussex dominated the first session of play and looked on course for a big total. But a couple of quick wickets before lunch, followed by a post-lunch batting collapse meant that they managed to set a target of just 262.

A positive start by Durham's openers has left them with just 147 to get on the final day to record their second successive win of the season.

Rushworth, who picked up his 10th five-wicket haul for Durham said it has been a "remarkable game". On how the pitch is behaving, he said: "The odd one is doing a bit, keeping low, bouncing a little bit sidewards so there's plenty there for the bowlers. But I think in general it is a pretty good pitch."

Earlier in the day, it looked as though it wasn't going to be Durham's day as the Sussex batsmen either kept playing and missing it by a whisker or edging it past or just short of the slip cordon. Durham have learned not to despair. "We always feel in the game here," Rusworth said. "We know as a bowling unit that if you hang around there and be patient, rewards will either come at the other end or later on in the day."

Despite riding his luck early on with a couple of lbw shouts and edges that didn't quite carry, Matt Machan sparkled for Sussex on a pitch that wasn't exactly easy to bat, securing his third half-century of the season.

After frustrating Durham's bowlers for large parts of the opening session, both Machan and Harry Finch fell to Usman Arshad and Ben Brown nicked one to Scott Borthwick to put the game nicely in the balance going into lunch.

At 255-6 with Luke Wright still at the crease, the visitors would have been looking for another late-order flourish to make good Machan's efforts. It was not forthcoming. The last four wickets fell for just 10 runs as Rushworth and John Hastings did what they couldn't in the first innings, wrap up the tail quickly.

Rushworth started the collapse by trapping Ajmal Shahzad lbw with the score at 255 for 6. Considering the amount of good shouts that were turned down by both umpires, that was a surprise as it looked as though the ball was heading down leg. In his next over, Rushworth sent the dangerous Luke Wright's middle stump out for a walk with an delivery that moved off the pitch.

Hastings who had hitherto bowled well without any reward picked wrapped up the tail with two wickets in two balls just nine overs after lunch.

Chasing a modest 262, both of Durham's openers started positively on a pitch that is still difficult for new batsmen. Unusually, it was Keaton Jennings who was the aggressor at the start. It was not until the 11th over, when he hit debutant Robinson for three fours that Mark Stoneman really got going. The last of the boundaries also brought up the pair's second fifty partnership of the innings.

Just when it looked as though Durham were cruising to the target, Shahzad removed both openers before tea. First Stoneman was trapped lbw two balls after hitting a massive six onto the top tier of the County Durham Stand. His opening partner followed four overs later, as Division One's leading wicket taker got the ball to move back in and got the edge off Jennings' bat into the keeper's glove.

Borthwick and Michael Richardson held fort after tea before the players left due to bad light, with play eventually being abandoned due to rain. With plenty of overs left to play, the weather and not the players will decide whether Division One still has a side that has won all of their games this season.