County Championship: Durham v Sussex – James Coles hits unbeaten century

Coles started nicely to thwart Durham’s bowling attack, but the hosts struck back with Conners picking up his first 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 wicket when wicketkeeper Ollie Robinson dropped a regulation catch down the leg side after Coles nicked a Raine delivery when he was on 35.

Coles continued to tick along, taking scoring opportunities whenever they presented themselves, with him 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, but 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 leg-side 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 ball from Conners through the covers for four, and whipped one through the leg side soon after.

But 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.

Sussex’s 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 to the deep third boundary.

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 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 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.

But Coles remained unbeaten on 117 at the close, taking his side to 322-9.