Sussex slipped to their fifth defeat in the last six Championship games after failing to pull off a great escape against Durham at Arundel Castle.

A century from Luke Wells had given Sussex hope of batting through the final day to salvage a dream against the division one leaders.

But when Wells fell shortly after lunch it sparked a clatter of wickets as Sussex were bowled out for 335 to lose by 178 runs.

The result stretched Durham’s lead at the top of the table while Sussex are 15 points above the relegation zone in fifth having played an extra game than the teams below them.

Wells battled hard to keep the contest alive as he brought up his first century of the season from 216 balls with 18 fours.

Having lost Ed Joyce and Chris Nash early in the morning session the left-hander put on 92 with Luke Wright to frustrate Durham’s push for a sixth win of the season.

But with the new ball on the horizon Wells’ near-five hour innings came to an end shortly after lunch when he was caught in the slips off Ryan Pringle for 108.

That prompted an all-too familiar collapse as Sussex lost five wickets for 29 in the space of 19 overs.

Wright fell four balls after Wells’ departure when he gave leg-spinner Scott Borthwick a sharp return catch having made 49.

Borthwick also picked up with the wickets of Ajmal Shahzad and George Dockerell before Graham Onions accounted for Steve Magoffin after Durham belatedly took the new ball.

Ben Brown and Tim Linley held up Durham’s celebrations with a partnership of 64 for the last wicket.

Brown was eventually last man out for 60 when he was trapped lbw by Borthwick as the leg-spinner finished with figures of 4-46. Linley was unbeaten on 21.