Ben Brown hits fantastic century as Second XI draw with Hampshire

Sussex had to settle for a draw in their Second XI championship match against Hampshire this week, despite a fantastic century from club captain Ben Brown.

The home side won the toss and opted to bat first on day one, but Hampshire opener Felix Organ fell in just the third over when he was caught by Tom Clark off the bowling of Abi Sakande.

After that early set-back, Oli Soames and Arun Harinath looked to build a partnership, but George Garton held on to a Tom Haines delivery to dismiss Harinath for 22.

Haines had a second wicket when Soames was caught at first slip by Harry Finch for 43, and Finch’s safe hands soon saw Tom Scriven fall victim to Will Beer for an eight-ball duck.

In between persistent rain showers, Harry Came and Charlie Harrison offered some resistance with the bat, and with 40 overs in the day lost, the hosts ended day one on 157-4.

Early on the second day, Harrison was trapped LBW for 38 by Elliott Hooper, adding just seven runs to his overnight score, before the Sussex bowling attack then blew away the lower order.

Scott Currie faced just two balls before he was caught by Garton to earn Hooper his second wicket of the day, and then Haines dismissed Gareth Schreuder, A Dale and Bradley Currie in quick succession

Haines finished with figures of 5-29 off 22.5 overs, and Hampshire were all out for 230, with Came not out on 89.

In reply, Sussex openers Luke Wells and Haines were dismissed early, but Brown, batting at three, was the star of the innings, hitting 122 off 139 with 20 fours.

Brown’s century was even more impressive due to the overcast, tricky batting conditions and the quality of Hampshire’s bowling.

Scriven, who had trapped Haines LBW for 18, did the same to Finch, before he bowled Alastair Orr to end with figures of 3-38 from 17 overs.

Scriven then took a smart catch to dismiss Garton for 15 and earn Organ his first wicket of the match, and Brown was eventually caught by Currie.

As the match headed towards a draw, Beer (70*) and Billings (22*) built a solid partnership, and day three ended with Sussex on 278-7 – a lead of 48.