Sussex Sharks improved their chances of defending their NatWest Pro40 League title after an easy victory over Durham Dynamos put them back on top of the First Division.

Chasing a formidable 278 for victory, Durham never recovered from James Kirtley's new-ball burst in which he took five for 26 as the visitors slumped to 44 for five.

The Dynamos were eventually bowled out for a miserable 84 in 24.1 overs to lose by 193 runs.

Ian Blackwell edged the first ball of the innings to slip and opening partner Phil Mustard departed in identical fashion when he was surprised by extra bounce in the third over.

Skipper Will Smith unluckily dragged a ball well outside off stump onto his stumps and Ben Harmison toe-ended a drive to mid on to leave Durham's top order in a mess.

Kirtley then had Shiv Chanderpaul caught behind and Durham's hopes effectively went with him.

Leg-spinner Will Beer and Yasir Arafat both picked up two wickets but it was Kirtley who led Sussex off to a standing ovation.

Earlier, Sussex had been given the perfect start by a stand of 75 in 13 overs between openers Ed Joyce and Rory Hamilton-Brown which ended when Hamilton-Brown drove Will Gidman to short mid-wicket for 37.

Joe Gatting, making his competition debut for the Sharks, followed in Gidman's next over when he was lbw having struck Gidman for a straight six two balls earlier, but Murray Goodwin continued his impressive form with 77 from just 68 balls as Sussex scored at nearly seven runs an over.

Goodwin added 57 for the third wicket with Joyce, who was smartly stumped by Mustard one short of his half-century, and skipper Mike Yardy sacrificed his wicket after a mix-up with Goodwin in which either batsman could have been run out.

Goodwin recovered his composure to put on 82 in just nine overs with the big-hitting West Indian Dwayne Smith.

Goodwin holed out to long off after hitting seven fours and a six while Smith's explosive cameo of 54 from just 30 balls, which included four sixes and three fours, ended when he was caught trying to clear long on.

That gave Blackwell his second wicket in successive overs but it was a rare moment of Durham supremacy on a night when their own title hopes effectively ended with a third defeat.