Phil Salt leads charge as top order wrest initiative for Sussex on day two

Photos: John Mallett

A typically vigorous innings from Sussex opener Phil Salt helped dispel his side’s unhappy memories of their disappointing first innings display on day two of their Specsavers County Championship match against Leicestershire at The 1st Central County Ground.

Salt hit 11 fours and a hooked six off Will Davis as he and opening partner Tom Haines made light work of a first innings deficit of 79.  Salt struck a dynamic 80 from 67 deliveries as he made up for his four-ball duck on the opening day.

In the first over he hit Chris Wright for three fours, straight, to third man and to backward-point. He scored 41 off 27 balls as he and Haines raised the 50.  And the opening pair took just 16 overs to wipe off the arrears.

Salt’s tempo slowed, allowing Haines to catch up a little, but he still managed to reach his half-century off 41 deliveries. 

In a bid to stem the tide Leicestershire brought on off-spinner Colin Ackerman to bowl the last over before tea, and with his fifth ball he had Haines lbw for 39.

Salt was second out with the score on 136 in the 29th over.  It was a tame end to a vivid innings as he tapped a return catch to give Ackermann his second wicket. 

😍 Never change, Philip Dean Salt #gosbts pic.twitter.com/8CHxBRVZS0

— Sussex Cricket (@SussexCCC) April 6, 2019

But then the Leicestershire bowlers came up against another Sussex batsman with a point to prove.  Luke Wells had also made a duck in his first innings, but he showed determination as he dug in with South African and fellow left-hander Stiaan van Zyl.  The unbroken third wicket partnership is so far worth 75, with both batsmen undefeated on 41 and Sussex's 211 for two putting them 132 ahead going into day three.

Leicestershire had started the cold and blustery second day on 131 for five, 42 runs behind, and looked unlikely to reach their 252 when, in the fifth over of the morning, Harry Dearden, half-forward, was lbw to a ball from Ollie Robinson which kept a little low.

But a seventh wicket stand of 52 in 17 overs between Lewis Hill and Tom Taylor took them past the Sussex total. When Hill leg-glanced David Wiese for a single in the 14th over of the day Leicestershire went past the Sussex total.  Hill took a battling hour to add the 10 runs he needed to reach his half-century. 

Sussex fought back with three wickets in seven overs. Spinner Danny Briggs bowled Hill, sweeping, for 67, Haines had Taylor lbw for 33, before Gavin Griffiths was caught behind off Chris Jordan for one.

🎥REPLAY

🗣️ "Go on, have another go" #gosbts pic.twitter.com/rBakjB7AyR

— Sussex Cricket (@SussexCCC) April 6, 2019

But then a last wicket stand of 31 between Wright and Will Davis frustrated the Sussex bowlers and delayed lunch by 30 minutes.

Robinson - who finished with 4 for 46 - finally ended Leicestershire's innings six balls after the break when Wright was caught hooking by van Zyl on the midwicket boundary.

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