DURHAM suffered one of their heaviest ever defeats when they lost by an innings and 177 runs against Sussex, despite some stoic batting from Ryan Pringle.

It was Sussex's first Specsavers County Championship win of the season, but it was Durham's sixth ever worst loss.

Pringle batted for four and a quarter hours at Hove for his unbeaten 38, and that followed his first-innings 60, when he spent 152 minutes in the middle.

But it was nowhere near enough to deny a Sussex side who appear to be transformed by the return of Vernon Philander, Luke Wells and Chris Jordan.

Sussex were outplayed in their opener against Kent at Hove last month, but the return game at Tunbridge Wells this weekend could be interesting.

Durham began day four on 97 for four, still 284 runs behind after Sussex posted 668 in their first innings.

Sussex broke through with the fifth ball of the second over when Paul Collingwood was lbw to David Wiese having failed to add to his overnight 31.

Paul Coughlin then lost his middle stump to Jofra Archer, with the ball appearing to deflect onto his wicket via his gloves as he shouldered arms.

Stuart Poynter was the seventh Durham batsman out at 126, caught behind off Archer for a duck.

At lunch Durham were 194 for seven, still needing 187 runs to make Sussex bat again.

Sussex took the new ball immediately after the break through Archer and Philander and they swept away the Durham tail.

James Weighell had brought up his maiden first-class fifty before the interval but had not added to his lunchtime score when he played around one from Archer and lost his leg stump.

Then Philander, bowling with pace and aggression from the Cromwell Road End, had Chris Rushworth caught at third slip.

Graham Onions, who bowled only 10 overs in the match because of a sore back, did come out to bat but had his middle stump uprooted by Philander first ball.

For Sussex, it was a good day to bury bad news - the announcement of Ed Joyce's retirement from county cricket.

Joyce said: "There's no doubt in my mind I played my best cricket at Sussex and I owe a huge debt of gratitude to the coaches, players, supporters and environment at the club that allowed me to do this."