DURHAM need a win at Cardiff today if they are to go into next week’s three home games with any hope of reaching the Royal London Cup quarterfinals.

Mark Stoneman has won the toss in all four games to date but the only win has come on the one occasion when he put the opposition in.

That was for the game against Warwickshire at the South Northumberland club ground last Thursday, yet he reverted to batting first in Tuesday’s floodlit game against Sussex at Hove.

The result was an even more extreme version of plucking defeat from the jaws of victory than under the Canterbury floodlights the previous week.

With 16 overs left Sussex were 191 for seven in reply to 287 for eight, but they were carried to victory by an unbroken stand of 97 between Yasir Arafat and Will Beer.

The capitulation was complete when John Hastings, recalled with six needed off two overs, sent down two no-balls and a wide.

Arafat and Beer eventually saw Sussex home with 11 balls to spare.

Durham’s home games, all with 10.30 starts, are against Middlesex on Sunday, Nottinghamshire on Tuesday and Surrey on Thursday.

After that their ridiculous schedule sees them start a crucial four-day match at Old Trafford the following day.

Tuesday’s defeat was harsh on Scott Borthwick, whose lack of form had seen him left out against Warwickshire. But he returned in place of Ben Stokes, who was required to rejoin the England squad.

Borthwick and Paul Collingwood made the joint top score of 67 then the leg-spinner took three for 29 in seven overs before being rested. Unfortunately, when he was recalled with 68 needed off nine overs he conceded 11 in each of two overs and, with Chris Rushworth also seeing good figures ruined, Stoneman scarcely knew where to turn.

Keaton Jennings who conceded only five runs of one over but was not kept on.

Durham had a good chance of reaching 300 after Stoneman shared an opening stand of 76 with Phil Mustard, who after making 40, 38 and 42 in the first three games was run out for 39.

Stoneman scored 58 off 74 balls before skying a pull to long leg, while Calum MacLeod made 14 before he was bowled trying to sweep Beer.

Collingwood joined Borthwick in the 31st over, giving him just enough time to play himself in before the batting powerplay had to be taken.

The five overs produced 40 runs as, after a cautious start, the pull continued to prove profitable for Borthwick, who lifted Teessider Chris Liddle over the rope at mid-wicket to reach 50 off 54 balls. The total was 213 for three after 40 overs, but the required acceleration did not materialise as Borthwick holed out at deep mid-wicket then Hastings skied a catch to cover.

When Arafat returned Collingwood pulled him for four to complete his half-century.

The Pakistani had his revenge though when he bowled Collingwood with the first ball of the 48th over.

Graham Onions took the first of his three wickets when he nipped one back with his third ball to bowl Chris Nash.

Luke Wright got after Onions before pulling a catch to deep mid-wicket and other batsmen followed suit by making quick runs before getting out.

Sussex were always ahead of the required rate but looked like running out of batsmen when Steffan Piolet and Ben Brown were bowled by Borthwick googlies.

But Arafat played very sensibly and found surprising support from Beer and once they got the target down to 50 off seven overs they were able to canter home.

In the home match against Warwickshire, the visitors’ Jonathan Trott didn’t show hint of slogging as he reached his century of 103 balls, taking Warwickshire to 213 for two with ten overs left. But off the first ball of the 41st he dragged a slower one from Hastings into his stumps and the innings fell apart.

The visitors were all out for 264, Hastings finishing with five for 46.

Stoneman (50) and Phil Mustard (42) put on 88 in 15 overs then MacLeod made 46 and Collingwood survived a slip chance on two to make 77 off 65 balls. Durham eased to victory with 3.5 overs to spare.