Northants hold on for draw despite excellent Mir Hamza

Acting Northamptonshire captain Adam Rossington made a battling half-century to secure his side a draw with Sussex at Wantage Road. Set 394 in 90 overs, Northants were struggling at 162 for 5 with more than fifty overs remaining but Rossington helped share two fifty partnerships to save the game.

Rossington’s 69 from 168 balls earned Northants 11 points from a third draw of the season ahead of a week off. Sussex were denied a second victory and were forced to settle for 13 points as they head home to play Glamorgan on Monday.

But mid-afternoon, Sussex were moving swiftly towards victory as Northants lost 4 for 50 but the middle order resisted.

After Ricardo Vasconcelos was held at third slip in the third over of the fourth innings, Josh Cobb and Ben Curran moved Nothants comfortably to 112 for 1 with a stand of 99. But, as on the second afternoon, a loose shot paved the way for a collapse.

Curran wafted lazily outside off and was caught behind for 36 before Cobb shouldered arms and lost his off stump for 68 - both wickets to Hamza. Cobb’s innings was his second half-century in the game but again fell short of a match-changing contribution. 

🙀 SCENES! Chaos in the middle and Bavuma is run out!

🎯 David Wiese with a brilliant direct hit!

🧮 Northants have lost 4 for 50 are are five down! #gosbts pic.twitter.com/KUcxaxGOHz

— Sussex Cricket (@SussexCCC) May 23, 2019

Rob Keogh was then pinned on the crease by Chris Jordan and given out lbw, and that was followed by the calamitous run out of Temba Bavuma. Bavuma, lightning between the wickets, pressed down the ground for a single that Rossington refused, and running back from half-way down, Bavuma was short when David Wiese swooped from mid-on and threw down the striker’s stumps.

Rossington and Luke Procter managed to steady the situation and calmly played out 17 overs in a stand of 52. 187 were needed in 37 overs after tea - an equation that became an irrelevance when, seventh ball into the final session, Hamza moved one away to take Procter’s outside edge. The Pakistani finished with four for 51 from 19 overs. 

🎶 But he would bowl 500 balls...

...and he would bowl 500 more... 🎶

🎶 Just to be the man who bowls a thousand balls...

...Your off stump on the floor 🎶

🗣 MIR HAMZA!! 🗣 MIR HAMZA!! pic.twitter.com/n0kCKCAk7z

— Sussex Cricket (@SussexCCC) May 23, 2019

But Hutton, who only entered the game on day three as Northants’ second concussion substitute, stubbornly knocked back 104 deliveries for an unbeaten 25 to help secure a draw with his acting captain.

At the start of the day, Ben Brown (60*)  and Stiaan van Zyl (80*) added 47 in four overs before Sussex's declaration came with their score on 339 for four.