Sussex vs Durham: Day 2 match report

The peerless Cheteshwar Pujara produced another batting masterclass as he reeled off his sixth hundred in only his ninth game for Sussex to frustrate Durham at the 1st Central County Ground.

The 35-year-old Indian, who has taken over as captain at Hove this season, dominated Sussex’s reply to Durham’s 376 with 115, the next highest score Ollie Carter’s 41. Last season Pujara scored 1094 runs at an average of 109 and on this evidence it will be a surprise if he doesn’t do even better in 2023.

When Carter helped him add 112 in 32 overs either side of tea for the fifth wicket, Sussex were in a good position to get close to Durham’s first-innings score.

But Pujara was one of three batters to fall at the start of the final session before Nathan McAndrew, who had earlier picked up five wickets on debut, organised some spirited resistance by Sussex’s lower order and was undefeated on 36 as Sussex reached 332 for nine at stumps, trailing by 44.

Pujara had come to the crease after Sussex lost both their openers in the tenth over. The day after his 22nd birthday, Ali Orr was extremely unlucky to be run out backing when Ben Raine deflected Tom Haines’ straight drive onto the stumps.

Two balls later Raine found enough away movement to defeat Haines’ forward push and after Pujara and his vice-captain Tom Alsop had taken the total to 86, Sussex suffered further strife as Alsop (10) and Tom Clark (4) were dismissed to leave Sussex 91 for four.

But once the new ball lost its hardness a crowd of nearly 2,000 were able to enjoy the Spring sunshine – and the sight of Pujara elegantly moving through the gears. A force through the back foot off Raine took him to his fifty and there was never much doubt that he would convert it into a century as he punished anything loose and collected runs all around the wicket.

His century came in some style too as he took three boundaries in four balls off Brydon Carse, audaciously upper-cutting a short ball over the slips followed by an on drive down the ground and a trademark back-foot punch to the point boundary.

Carter gave him excellent support until he took a couple of strides down the wicket trying to hit Matt Kuhnemann, the Australian left-arm spinner, over the top and got a thick edge instead.

Debutant Kuhnemann picked up his second wicket dismissing George Garton (28)  before Raine returned to the attack and struck the key blow with his second ball back when Pujara played across a straight ball to fall lbw. He struck 14 fours and straight six of Kuhnemann.

Sussex still trailed by 131 but McAndrew and Jack Carson showed their capabilities in a counter-attacking stand of 55 in 12 overs before Carson (29) fell to Carse on the drive. McAndrew has so far helped the last four wickets add 87.

It completed an excellent day for the 29-year-old Australian, who earlier became the first Sussex overseas bowler since compatriot Steve Magoffin in 2016 to take five wickets in an innings.

McAndrew, 29, had Raine caught at second slip with the second ball of the day and finished with five for 83 when Potts was last man out, caught behind driving. It was a good fightback by the Sussex bowlers to restrict Durham to 376 after they had been 224 for two on the first day.