Ben Brown's century provides solid platform on day one against Leicestershire

Ben Brown and Tom Haines were amongst the runs once again as Sussex built towards an impressive first innings score in their LV= Insurance County Championship fixture against Leicestershire at the UptonSteel County Ground.

Skipper Haines led the way in the first half of the day, hitting ten fours in scoring 71 off 113 balls, before Brown, followed up with an unbeaten century before bad light ended play seven overs early.

TON UP! 🙌

Great knock so far, @Ben_Brown26. 💯#GOSBTS pic.twitter.com/Y3jHjPtRKm

— Sussex Cricket (@SussexCCC) September 12, 2021

With many members of the squad remaining at Hove to prepare for Saturday's T20 Finals Day, Sussex named a team including five teenagers and two 20-year-olds, which included a debut for 18-year-old Tom Hinley.

In the circumstances it was a good toss for Haines to have won, and the opener had no hesitation in batting first on a pale, dry-looking pitch. The decision was quickly justified, the only movement obtained by the Leicestershire seamers being through the air, and both Haines and opening partner Ali Orr took full advantage of the fast outfield, raising the 50 in the eleventh over.

Haines hit eight fours in going to his 50 off just 66 balls, and Orr looked set to join him until on 40, he hooked a Chris Wright bouncer down to long leg where Ed Barnes, running along the boundary, took a brilliant one-handed catch diving to his left.

Leicestershire should have picked up a second wicket before lunch Ben Brown inside-edged a delivery from Barnes, but Foxes wicket-keeper Harry Swindells failed to hold the ball diving to his left. It was to prove a hugely expensive miss.

Haines steered a delivery from Ben Mike into the hands of George Rhodes at backward point, and soon afterwards Fynn Hudson-Prentice was forced to retired hurt after being hit on the hand by Abi Sakande.

Another innings, another 5⃣0⃣ for @tomhainess. 😏#GOSBTS pic.twitter.com/Vvbl25FW6R

— Sussex Cricket (@SussexCCC) September 12, 2021

But Brown found solid support from Oli Carter, the pair adding 106 for the third wicket before Leicestershire took the new ball and Sakande bowled the 19-year-old with a delivery that came back to hit the top of off-stump.

Delray Rawlins nicked a catch behind off Wright, but Brown, who went to his century off 165 balls, remained undefeated at the close.

After reaching the hundred mark, Sussex batsman Ben Brown said: "Centuries are always special, and I enjoyed today - with the lights on the ball swung around and Leicestershire bowled well for periods, we had to graft it out.

"It's the second time I've batted at number three this season, I'm not sure whether it'll be a long-term thing, but it's always good to do something new, to challenge yourself, especially as I'm not keeping at the moment.

"I thought Oli Carter did really well, worked really hard to keep them at bay and put overs into their legs. We've got ourselves into a promising position but we have to build on that."

Leicestershire captain Callum Parkinson said: "It was a disappointing first session, and I can't really put it down to anything other than the fact we missed our lengths and bowled a bit wide.

"On the whole we showed good attitude, stuck at it all day and dragged the rate back. If we'd held on to the chance off Brown when he was on just three you're potentially looking at a different day, so we have to regroup in the morning.

"Harry [Swindells] has become a really good wicketkeeper, in fact he's been outstanding in the last few matches, and he's a strong character as he showed by taking a really good catch at the end of the day."