AS SO often, a change of ball altered the balance between bowler and batsman, but who can say whether the difference was in ball or mindset? It was, perhaps, a little bit of the former and a large measure of the latter.

After only 4.2 overs, the ball was deemed out of shape and soft. Durham’s openers had been untroubled, looking well set to capitalise on a decision to bat first. But no doubt a “new pill” energised Rana Naved-ul-Hasan, for his next ball was quicker and nipped in to claim Jon Lewis leg-before. Gordon Muchall followed for nought and a shaken Durham were on a slide to 110 all out, their lowest total this season by 151 runs.

A top score of 23 and a best partnership of 22 were pathetic statistics on a reasonable pitch, but great bowling returns helped Naved and Mushtaq Ahmed to surge farther ahead as the Liverpool Victoria County Championship’s leading wicket-takers, with 28 and 26 respectively.

Naved impressed greatly, but it was the leg spin of his Pakistan colleague that terrorised the batsmen — and inflamed the crowd with constant appealing. There was entertainment, too, when Stephen Harmison swept and then reverse swept successive balls for four, only to end up a Mushtaq scalp.

As for Harmison’s bowling, he had a catch dropped and was played with respect. But Durham could do with the best of the England fast bowler rather than a workout.

DURHAM: First Innings

J J B Lewis lbw b Naved 5
J P Maher c Prior b Wright 23
G J Muchall c Prior b Naved 0
G J Pratt c Adams b Mushtaq 9
*D M Benkenstein lbw b Mushtaq 18
G R Breese lbw b Mushtaq 0
P Mustard c Prior b Mushtaq 15
O D Gibson c Prior b Naved 8
S J Harmison b Mushtaq 8
G Onions b Naved 4
M L Lewis not out 0
Extras (b 5, lb 13, nb 2) 20
Total (52.5 overs) 110

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-12, 2-18, 3-40, 4-53, 5-59, 6-75, 7-92, 8-92, 9-106.

BOWLING: Naved-ul-Hasan 12.5-5-28-4; Lewry 11-4-27-0; Wright 7-3-6-1; Martin-Jenkins 9-5-6-0; Mushtaq Ahmed 13-4-25-5.

SUSSEX: First Innings

R R Montgomerie c Mustard b M L Lewis 28
C D Hopkinson lbw b Gibson 20
M H Yardy not out 17
M W Goodwin not out 38
Extras (lb 2, nb 14) 16
Total (2 wkts, 29.2 overs) 119

*C J Adams, M J Prior, R S C Martin-Jenkins, L J Wright, Naved-ul-Hasan, Mushtaq Ahmed and J D Lewry to bat.

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-57, 2-57.

BOWLING: Onions 8.2-0-38-0; Harmison 6-0-24-0; Gibson 9-2-21-1; M L Lewis 5-1-23-1; Breese 1-0-11-0.

Umpires: P J Hartley and R A Kettleborough.