Durham seemed determined to prove they don't need wickets from Steve Harmison as they closed in on their sixth championship win of the season against Sussex at Chester-le-Street.

But they missed him in the final hour as a possible three-day victory slipped away during an unbroken stand of 93 between Luke Wright and Andrew Hodd.

After stating in a Sunday newspaper that he was desperate to play in the Ashes, Harmison was nursing a badly-blistered big toe as he bowled in three and four-over spells and finally left the field six overs before the close.

With Callum Thorp taking his first five-wicket haul of the season, Sussex followed on 228 behind and the Australian picked up two more as they closed on 208 for five.

The visitors crumbled from their overnight 119 for one to 245 all out, then again made a decent start in the second innings before slipping from 71 for one to 115 for five.

A three-day defeat was still possible but Wright fearlessly cut and pulled his way to a 58-ball half-century in surviving the final 20 overs with Hodd.

Thorp relied mainly on swing and was well supported by Mark Davies, while the erratic Liam Plunkett came in for heavy punishment in the second innings.

After his 50 championship wickets last season, Thorp has struggled in the current campaign but rewarded Durham's faith in him with figures of five for 86.

Sussex captain Mike Yardy, on 54 overnight, held his side's first innings together in advancing to 97 before he was eighth out in the over before lunch.

When the ball went behind square on the leg side Ollie Rayner called him for a run, but after some hesitation Yardy failed to beat Dale Benkenstein's direct hit on the non-striker's end.

Thorp hit the off stump of both Murray Goodwin and Carl Hopkinson, then Ed Joyce resumed after retiring hurt on 32 following a blow on the right elbow from Harmison yesterday evening.

The Irishman edged Davies for four before the bowler had him caught behind, then Wright departed for a duck when he chipped Thorp to mid-wicket.

Thorp completed his haul when he had Corey Collymore caught at first slip by Gordon Muchall, who held on again to get rid of Rayner and give Harmison his only wicket of the day.

It became three successive catches for Muchall when Davies removed Yardy for 20 in the second innings, but Chris Nash hit 11 fours in reaching 50 off 68 balls as Plunkett conceded 29 runs in his first five overs

He was replaced by Ian Blackwell, who struck with his fourth ball when he turned one through Joyce's defensive push to bowl him.

Thorp returned to have both Nash and Goodwin caught behind off inside edges, but when Harmison tried a final burst Wright pulled him for two fours before setting about Plunkett.