By Peter Deeley at Hove
First day of four: Yorks (159-7) lead Sussex (129) by 30
A POST-LUNCH session in which 11 batsmen were dismissed for 64 epitomised the extraordinary nature of this opening day where the bowlers four times took wickets with two successive balls without progressing to a hat-trick.
Yorkshire, with ambitions to finish in the championship first three, were understandably cock-a-hoop at grabbing maximum bowling points by early afternoon when Sussex did not so much collapse as disintegrate with their last six wickets falling for three runs in 25 balls.
Paul Hutchison was their nemesis, returning career-best figures of seven for 31, scything through five of the home side's lower order in his final 13 deliveries at a cost of one run.
Sussex have a target to shoot at, needing five points to ensure they finish in the championship top eight and qualify for next summer's 'super cup'.
They did themselves no favours by failing to gain a single batting point but fought back nobly in the field, led by James Kirtley who took Yorkshire's first four wickets and finished with five.
He found able support in Mark Robinson, for whom success must have been doubly sweet against his old side as he removed Richard Blakey and Gavin Hamilton with successive balls.
It was now Yorkshire's turn to rue the probable loss of batting points which could cost them some prize money in the final reckoning. They owe their narrow overnight first innings lead almost entirely to Matthew Wood, who reached his thousand runs for the season.
Since 17 wickets fell in the day, the pitch must now be referred to the ECB, but the devil appears to lie in the amount of swing rather than the surface.
Day 2: Wood shines through mist with century
By Peter Deeley at Hove
Second day of four: Sussex (129 & 91-4) trail Yorks (252) by 32
YORKSHIRE'S quartet of fast bowlers seem destined to carry them to victory and a high final position in the county championship but by any measure Matthew Wood, who only made his debut this summer, deserves the highest plaudits for his unbeaten century.
In conditions made for swing bowling, Wood, 21, shone through a day of heavy sea mist at Hove as one of the batting finds of the season. He has the knack of getting behind pretty well every type of delivery, does not become rattled and is prepared to wait for the loose ball, which he then smacks with youthful vigour.
Wood has now scored four centuries for Yorkshire this summer and this 5.5-hour stay follows on the heels of his unbeaten 200 against Warwickshire in his last innings.
No other batsman has made it through the 40s here and Wood was instrumental in steering Yorkshire to two batting points which seemed beyond them at 122 for six, and which could yet lift them to second or third in the table.
He gave two difficult chances, both off James Kirtley, and each time the ball singed the fingers of Robin Martin-Jenkins at first slip as it careered to the boundary.
Chris Silverwood offered Wood valuable support in an eighth-wicket partnership of 71 and with backing from the remainder of the tail, Yorkshire pushed on to a first-innings lead of 123.
Still Sussex, for whom Mark Robinson continued to exact revenge from his native county with unending hostility and four wickets, have the consolation that events elsewhere ensure them of a place in next year's Super Cup.
It threatened to be a repeat of Sussex's first nnings calamities when Toby Pierce edged Paul Hutchison in his first over to slip. But as Wasim Khan entrenched himself at one end, Sussex captain Chris Adams fought fire with fire and hit Hutchison for a series of rasping cover-drives.
Adams clipped Silverwood off his toes for six, but tried an impetuous drive next ball and his off stump was flattened.
Somerset have signed the former England and Sussex fast bowler Paul Jarvis on a three-year performance-related contract.
Jarvis, 33, who was recently released by Sussex, had been troubled by persistent injury problems since joining the county in 1994 from Yorkshire. He has played regular second-team cricket this summer.
Day 3: Blooming White Rose of youth
By Peter Deeley at Hove
Sussex 129 & 170-9 v Yorkshire 51
THE FUTURE looks rosy for the White Rose county after this comprehensive defeat of Sussex virtually guaranteed that Yorkshire will finish third in the championship - their highest position since 1975.
Yorkshire's fifth successive win, their best run since 1967, suggests they must be one of the favourites for the title next time round.
Yorkshire would pick up £22,000 in prize money for finishing third, but of value beyond mere monetary measure has been the discovery of two 21-year-olds of great promise - batsman Matthew Wood and fast bowler Matthew Hoggard, both making their debuts this summer.
Wood was the only player to pass fifty in the game and his unbeaten century came exactly a week after he took an unbeaten double hundred off Warwickshire.
It was Hoggard's turn to impress yesterday as he bowled with pace down the slope and kept going in the heat for 10 overs, because of an injury to Chris Silverwood, to take four for 47.
These two are part of a quartet of young pace bowlers, along with Gavin Hamilton and Paul Hutchison, who make one wonder just where Darren Gough can fit in. The England bowler has not figured in any of the five wins because of a tweaked hamstring.
All credit to Sussex's new regime for lifting them from bottom place in the championship last season to a top-eight position and a place in next year's Super Cup.
They, too, have produced young fast bowlers of merit in James Kirtley and Jason Lewry. Another, Robin Martin-Jenkins - unable to bowl here because of injury - showed resolution with the bat with an unbeaten 44.
BILLY Sutcliffe, who followed in the footsteps of his father, Herbert, and captained Yorkshire for two seasons in the 1950s, has died aged 71.
Day 3, more: Gough's absence fails to hinder Yorkshire
By Peter Deeley at Hove
Yorks (252 & 51-0) bt Sussex (129 & 170) by 10 wkts
``I HEAR our Darren has just won the OBE,'' said the woman Yorkshire supporter in the baguette queue as her team convincingly rolled up Sussex in 2.5 days to finish third in the championship.
Seeing her companion's mystified look, she explained: ``Yes, he Only Bowls for England nowadays.''
The butt of her attempt at irony was Darren Gough. Yorkshire's finishing burst of five successive wins is their best run for 32 years but the England fast bowler has missed all those games.
His continued absence is a matter of almost as much comment among Yorkshire supporters as their side's best championship position since 1975. They appear to believe that he has been swinging the lead but although Gough is suffering from a tweaked hamstring he has been ready to play.
However David Byas, his captain, was more than satisfied with his four young fast bowlers - Chris Silverwood, Paul Hutchison, Gavin Hamilton and Matthew Hoggard - and saw no reason to change the make-up of the attack.
After the way Hoggard, in particular, with match figures of seven for 77, and Hutchison (eight for 86), powered their way through a weak Sussex batting order, one can understand Byas's reasoning.