A maiden Sussex century for David Wiese as Warwickshire match is drawn

David Wiese cracked a thrilling century against Warwickshire on Monday as Sussex drew their opening Specsavers County Championship match of the season. Sussex take 12 points away from Edgbaston, with the home side settling for ten.

South African all-rounder Wiese’s 106 came off just 105 balls and was the first Championship ton of the season. Seventy-four of those runs came from boundaries, with the 32-year-old hitting 14 fours and three sixes.

Wiese batted forcefully from the off, hitting cleanly on his way to three figures in 91 balls - his century before lunch all the more creditable when compared to the batting travails of most counties in the opening round of matches around the country.

Ben Brown will also take plenty from the game. His first Championship innings as permanent club captain brought an assured 91 that was vital in rescuing Sussex from a precarious 88-5 on Sunday morning.

After Sussex resumed on the final morning on 194 for six, Ollie Robinson soon edged Keith Barker behind but Brown and Wiese helped themselves to important early-season time at the crease in a partnership of 155 in 30 overs.

For the game as a contest, however, there was no way out of the cul-de-sac up which it was forced by the loss of 150 overs, including the entire first day, to the weather.

Warwickshire closed on 87-3 in their second innings, but not before Ollie Robinson and Ishant Sharma caused a few butterflies in the home dressing room.

Robinson bowled Will Rhodes, before Sharma knocked over Ian Bell and Jonathan Trott in quick succession with two fine deliveries to leave Warwickshire 55-3 and still 20 runs behind Sussex’s first innings total of 374 all out.

Dominic Sibley stilled any Warwickshire nerves, though, with a steady unbeaten 42 to see the game out.

Speaking at the close, Ben Brown said: “Overall I am really proud of our performance. There are areas where we can improve and we have spoken about that in the dressing-room, but to start off the season against a very good side like Warwickshire and not just go toe-to-toe but turn the game in our favour and end up pushing for an unlikely win is something we can take a huge amount from.

"David Wiese's innings was superb. I was just about ready to tell the lads how hard it was to score out there and how turgid I was finding it and he just came out and timed the ball from the off.

"He batted with so much power and picked his shots really well and I think to score his first 100 in the championship in England will be a huge moment for him. Conditions over here are very different and that will be a monkey off his back."