In recent years this sublime ground has been accused of producing pitches unconducive to sublime cricket. Arundel had become a square that would help batsmen and turn bowlers to toast. As the nagging, seaming stalwarts Chris Rushworth and Steve Magoffin can attest, that has not been the case this time.
It is Rushworth’s six for 49 for Durham – his finest figures of a season in which he has taken 52 wickets – that leaves his side, ahead by 268, close to a sixth win of the season and a further strengthening of their position atop Division One.
But Sussex’s Magoffin did his damnedest to prevent it, taking four wickets – three of them for no runs – in his first 16 balls as the visitors set about expanding their 100-run advantage. It was a stunning spell that fleetingly swung the match until a superb stand of 118 between Scott Borthwick and Gordon Muchall wrestled control back Durham’s way.
For the second innings Magoffin switched to the Castle end, where 23 of the match’s 26 wickets have now fallen, and immediately reaped the rewards of uneven bounce that has been on display since the first day. Durham’s openers both fell on their second balls – Mark Stoneman edging to third slip and Keaton Jennings feathering behind – while Paul Collingwood and Michael Richardson were bowled by nip-backers – with the former’s certainly keeping low.
It is against that backdrop, and from the wreckage of 13 for four, that Borthwick’s and Muchall’s stand – the first worth a century in the match – must be measured. With Magoffin’s line impeccable and Borthwick’s knowledge of the locality of his off stump even better, they doubled the lead, playing positively, watching the bounce and running sharply between wickets. Borthwick punished anything drivable but was eventually bowled by Luke Wells, while Muchall ended unbeaten on 66 and is yet to be dismissed in the match after an 81 on Monday.
Tim Linley returned to dismiss Ryan Pringle – the 10th wicket to fall bowled, all from the Castle end – but he and Magoffin are carrying a weighty burden in the absence of Ajmal Shahzad (and six other injured bowlers), who suffered a recurrence of the pectoral injury that kept him out for five weeks and will not bowl again in the match.
If Sussex’s bowlers are crocked, their batsmen have some questions to answer. Luke Wright, who edged Rushworth behind, failed to make it into double figures in their first innings and six more did not reach 20.
Only the debutant loanee George Dockrell – the not out batsman – made it to 30 as the last two wickets added 66 to save face. The coach, Mark Robinson, says he is confident of chasing 300, but something has to change.
Matt Machan was the first to fall, caught brilliantly off Graham Onions by Jennings diving to his left at square leg. The rest of Rushworth’s support cast were also in fine fettle, with John Hastings victorious in a long battle with Ed Joyce, who left with discipline for 50 deliveries before slapping to point for 23. Paul Coughlin was troublesome from the Park end and departed with Ben Brown’s wicket as reward.
But Rushworth was marvellous once more. He is fast approaching the what-more-can-a-man do territory when it comes to the national team.
He nagged and nibbled, adding two more bowled to complete his five-wicket haul by lunch. Magoffin edged to Collingwood at slip to make it six.
“It’s nice to take another five-for and put Durham in another strong position,” he said much in the manner in which he bowls: straight and unfussily. “It’s nice to hear people mention your name [for England]. As I’ve said before I’ll just keep doing what I’m doing for Durham, then whoever’s in charge can see.”
