Sussex 322-9 (96 overs)
A resilient unbeaten century from James Coles for Sussex defied an excellent bowling performance from Durham’s Bas de Leede on day one of their Rothesay County Championship clash.
Ben Raine struck early to give Durham a dream start but they were pegged back by half-centurion Daniel Hughes. However, he was dismissed after lunch to hand Durham the early initiative.
Coles remained calm and composed to steady the ship in the afternoon and he along with captain John Simpson put pressure on the Durham bowlers.
However, the hosts bounced back after tea thanks to de Leede (four for 83) who bowled well on his first appearance of the season.
Coles remained at the crease and continued to frustrate the hosts, reaching his hundred just before close, with Sussex finishing the day on 322-9.
The visitors got off to a bad start at an overcast Banks Homes Riverside as Raine removed the in-form Tom Haines for four as he chopped on to his off-stump.
Hughes responded with a lovely boundary through the covers from a Matthew Potts delivery. But the Durham opening bowlers limited Sussex’s run-making opportunities. That pressure nearly told as Raine dropped a catch from his own bowling when Hughes mistimed an aerial drive on 15.
At the other end Tom Clark took a while to get going but he played a glorious cover drive for four in Sam Conners’s first over of the season.
Hughes continued to take opportunities to score as he slammed a George Drissell ball down the ground for four.
Drissell struck back for Durham shortly before lunch as he bowled Clark for 30 with one that found the Sussex man’s off-stump.
Hughes then reached his half-century, from 101 deliveries, but the Australian was bowled for 60 by de Leede who produced a beauty to dislodge the off-stump.
Coles started nicely to thwart Durham’s bowling attack but the hosts struck back with Conners picking up his first County Championship wicket of the season as Ibrahim was caught behind for five.
Durham continued to pile on the pressure and they very nearly had their fifth when Ollie Robinson dropped a regulation catch down the legside after Coles nicked a Raine delivery when he was on 35.
Sussex skipper Simpson started well as he launched a Drissell ball down the ground for six.
Coles continued to tick along, taking scoring opportunities whenever they presented themselves, playing a lovely shot through the covers from the bowling of England man Matthew Potts.
The Sussex man then passed fifty for the third time this season while Simpson was dropped on 17 by Drissell at slip off the bowling of Potts.
Coles then pulled a de Leede bouncer to the boundary, while Simpson flicked the first ball after tea to the legside boundary. The impressive Conners struck back with Simpson edging behind to Robinson for a well-made 40.
Coles continued to motor though as he caressed a Conners ball through the covers for four and he whipped one through the onside soon after.
Wickets kept on falling at the other end as de Leede got Fynn Hudson-prentice for five after he chipped one up to Emilio Gay at cover and the Dutchman struck again as Jack Carson was caught behind for two.
Ollie Robinson came to the crease and hit two boundaries but he was lbw for nine when Raine caught him plumb in front of his stumps.
That brought Jofra Archer to the crease, playing his first red ball game since 2021, and he hit Potts for four through third region.
Coles, on 95, nearly fell short of his ton when a leading edge from Raine found its way to de Leede at backward point but he was dropped for the second time.
He then well and truly made Durham pay for their sloppy fielding when he reached his fifth first-class century from 169 balls.
Archer looked in good touch with the bat as he slammed a Raine delivery through the covers for four and he then hit de Leede for six. But he was dismissed for 31 from the next ball as he pulled one to Conners on the boundary.
Coles remained unbeaten on 117 at close, taking his side to 322-9. Sussex earned two bonus points with the bat and Durham have three bonus points for their bowling.
Coles was delighted with his hundred. He said: “I’m really pleased. It’s my first one of the season, my first in division one and my first away from Hove so I’m happy about that.”
He was grateful for the partnership with Archer, adding: “Partnerships like that are important – those ones down the order when you’re up against it and they’re looking for wickets.”
Looking ahead to tomorrow, he said: “We don’t have a plan exactly as we haven’t spoke about it yet but I can imagine it will be to go at it the same way as we did later on today.
“The last five overs or so we were going at over four an over so hopefully we can do that.”
Durham fast bowler Sam Conners said: “It’s been a frustrating year so far so to be able to get out there today was really special.”
“We were going to have a bowl anyway to try to make use of the fresh pitch so we were quite happy to be out there bowling to be honest.”
“All the bowlers toiled away really well today. I think Drissy (George Drissell) from that top end was unbelievable all day – 20 overs for 40-odd was a great effort.
“And Bassy (Bas de Leede) held an end up with them long spells and he took the wickets along with that so it was a great effort from everyone.
“Tomorrow morning, those first 15 minutes are going to be crucial in terms of the whole of this game. If we can get that wicket quickly then I think we’ll be in a great position.”
