Michael Richardson was out lbw to Rana Naved for 12 with the first delivery of the day.
Durham were 172-7 when Borthwick (4) was caught by Anyon becoming Naved’s second victim of the day
Benks fifty, off 66 balls, then out the following delivery, bowled by Panesar as Durham stand 198-8 with Mitchell Claydon joining Thorp in the middle.
A few boundaries from Thorp saw Durham pass the 200 mark and extend their lead to over 300 within the first hour of play. He was bowled by Rana for 19 with Durham 206-9.
Panesar finished off the innings, bowling Claydon for 4. Durham end their second innings with 210 on the board, with a lead of 308.
Blackwell claimed the first Sussex second innings wicket when Ed Joyce (33) was caught by Gordon Muchall, with Sussex just past the fifty mark.
Sussex steadied with Wells and Nash in the middle but two wickets in two balls for Callum Thorp in the 34th over saw Nash bowled on 45 and a fourth catch of the match for Muchall saw Gatting dismissed immediately as Sussex fell to 98-3.
By tea, Wells (30*) and Goodwin (22*) had put on 34 and Sussex were 132-3.
The Sussex skipper, Goodwin (36), fell just before the side reached the 150 mark when he became Muchall’s fifth catch of the match, this one coming from a Brathwaite delivery.
Wells continued to dig in and struck a patient fifty, from 150 balls, as he looked undeterred by the Durham attack. Despite a regular rotation to the attack Durham couldn’t make a further breakthrough before the close, on a track that didn’t seem to be giving much away.
At the close Sussex were 237-4, trailing by 72 runs, Wells 74* and Brown 36*.