Harmison's Hat-trick Helps Durham See Off Sussex

Steve Harmison, bowling with his old rhythm and menace, took the second first-class hat-trick of his career yesterday to hurry Sussex, the county champions, to their first defeat of the season and the first at home since 2004.

He bowled downhill, towards the sea, which some fast bowlers avoid because they feel they are running away with themselves, and he troubled all the batsmen with the exception of Matthew Prior, who hit his slower ball for an astonishing back-foot six over the sight screen. The keeper had already reached his century with successive sixes carved over backward-point and third man off the same bowler.

This was probably the best Harmison has bowled all season and his figures of four for 75 gave him a match return of seven for 110. Yesterday he was also bowling with a sore left foot. "I'm bowling well and my one disappointment is that I haven't got a five-for yet this season," he said. "It's nice that this hat-trick made the difference and set up the win. My other one, against Worcestershire three years ago, happened when the match was really already won.

"I'm the best 90mph bowler in England. This week it's all come together for me. England know what I can do and they know where I am. If they want someone to take wickets, they've just got to phone.

"This was a massive team effort and there will be people all around the country looking at this performance. Not many counties come here and win, and two individual players scored hundreds against Mushtaq Ahmed." On this form England would be a substantially better side with Harmison in it.

His hat-trick came when Sussex, at 138 for five and 51 runs ahead, were still hopeful of getting the lead of 200 they thought they needed to make it an interesting game. First Rory Hamilton-Brown edged a drive to the wicketkeeper, Robin Martin-Jenkins did the same thing and then Mushtaq had his off-stump plucked out by a full-length delivery.

Prior, always positive, then moved up a gear. His hundred came from 117 deliveries with his second fifty coming off 44. Altogether he faced 138 balls for his unbeaten 133, with 16 fours and five sixes.

On form he is the best batsman in England and his willingness to hit the ball over the top makes him especially useful in the shorter game. This was his third century of the season and he restored his position as the leading scorer in the first-class game. His keeping has improved, too.

The selectors seem simultaneously unaware of the good form of certain county cricketers and the poor form of some England players. In the past they have been accused of a lack of consistency. These days they are being too consistent.

Harmison added: "I think Matty got a raw deal from England when he got dropped and he's unlucky not to be in the one-day squad. When wickets went down at the other end he just exploded and he was fantastic from 75 until the end of the innings.

If Sussex fail to become the first county to win a hat-trick of championships since Yorkshire (1966-68) Durham, last season's runners-up, could be the side that succeeds them. This victory was achieved without the injured Graham Onions and Liam Plunkett. They have plenty of batting, though their lack of a match-winning spinner could cost them.

Their second win of the season lifts them out of the bottom two. Sussex, though, have problems. Their batting is misfiring, particularly at the top of the innings, and Mushtaq looks short of cricket.