Sussex Draw as Rain Ends Match Early

Sussex drew with Durham UCCE as rain brought the third and final day of the match to a premature end.

Play resumed with Dan Ibrahim and Ali Orr back at the crease looking to build on the 31 runs they put on the board before the close of play yesterday. Orr began steadily as he and Ibrahim took the Sussex lead to 249 runs, but was then bowled by Jonathan Conolly for 23.

Ibrahim followed an economical spell with the ball with his second first innings fifty in as many games before retiring on 53 not-out. He once again showed confident stroke play, finding the boundary 11 times. Delray Rawlins was the second Sussex wicket to fall, adding just the four runs to the total. 

Tom Alsop and Fynn Hudson-Prentice wasted no time extending the Sussex lead as they put on a quick-fire partnership of 62 off 61 balls, before declaring at lunch on 160-2, with a commanding lead of 325 runs. 

With a seemingly impossible lead to chase down, Durham openers Perry and Norris showed early determination after lunch putting on 64 runs before Rawlins took his fourth and fifth wickets of the match. The left-arm spinner finished the game with impressive figures of 25-6-27-5.

Rain eventually meant the players took an early tea, but with the prospect of it not improving the game was brought to a close, resulting in a draw.

Sussex have shown plenty of signs of encouragement in all areas of the game as they prepare to welcome Nottinghamshire on Thursday 7th April in the LV= Insurance County Championship.