Gordon Muchall, Ian Blackwell and Gareth Breese were all caught when trying to play shots to quicken the run rate, while the run-out of Dale Benkenstein after Will Smith had called a suicidal run to short cover was the low point of a generally poor display with the bat.

Openers Phil Mustard and Michael Di Venuto also got themselves in before getting themselves out, Di Venuto top edging to deep fine leg before Mustard was undone by a straightening delivery from Luke Wright when handily placed on 27.

Smith did atone for his run-out blunder by hanging around long enough to make 65 – a record in the Friends Provident Trophy against Sussex – but with eight balls left and with just Steve Harmison left for company, the Durham skipper was bowled by Rory Hamilton-Brown attempting to slog him over mid-wicket.

That was the off-spinner’s third wicket of the innings. With William Beer taking another two, Sussex’s tactics were designed to take the pace off the ball on a slow pitch and make run scoring a constant battle.

Similar tactics have been used at the Riverside in Twenty20 cricket to good effect and Durham could not find a way to score freely while holding on to their wickets.

Their total of 192 never looked like being enough against a side which knew it did not have to take any major risks and Sussex were extremely efficient in their chase with openers Ed Joyce – recently signed from Middlesex – and Joe Gatting – nephew of former England captain Mike – sharing a virtually untroubled opening partnership of 117.

Callum Thorp and Mitch Claydon were tidy without being dangerous, while Harmison’s first four overs went for 25 runs to raise further questions about the deposed England man’s lack of early-season form.

Sussex’s reply was a pretty turgid one, but they did not need to worry about lighting any fireworks as Joyce and Gatting squeezed the runs they needed from each over to stay ahead of the required rate.

Blackwell and Breese were brought on in the 18th and 19th overs respectively to try and tie Sussex down in the middle, but it was in vain, summed up when Joyce smashed Breese over mid-on for six.

Claydon returned to the attack in the 30th over to trap Gatting leg before for 48, while Wright fell to Blackwell for 28, but Sussex were already well on their way to victory by that stage, Joyce 103 not out – guiding them home with more than six overs remaining.