Sussex vs Warwickshire | Day One

By Paul Weaver, ECB Reporters’ Network supported by Rothesay

A counter-attacking seventh wicket stand of 115 in 28 overs between Kai Smith (53) and Chris Woakes (64) pulled Warwickshire round from the perils of 116 for six against Sussex at Hove.

But Sussex hit back after tea to take the last four wickets for 35 runs. And they finished the day the happier of the two sides when they did not lose a wicket before the close, which was 9.2 overs early because of bad light.

Sussex went into the match on the back of an emphatic 222-run victory at Leicester, Warwickshire after a run-soaked draw with Surrey in which they often got the better of the 2024 champions.

Warwickshire’s powerful batting line-up must have fancied another run glut after winning the toss and choosing to take first knock on a brown strip that looked as though it had been borrowed from midseason.

But they were confounded by the Sussex seamers, who all bowled superbly.

They lost their first wicket in the seventh over when Alex Davies edged Ollie Robinson to the wicketkeeper for an 18-ball three. And in the next over Dan Mousley, who had scored just a single, edged Fynn Hudson-Prentice and was well caught low down and to his left by Tom Clark at second slip.

Warwickshire were 22 for three in the 14th over when Sam Hain dragged one on in Tom Price’s first over. Robinson, Hudson-Prentice, Price and Henry Crocombe had such a hold on the Warwickshire batting that it was only when left-arm spinner James Coles came on a short while before lunch that the pressure eased. Coles went for ten runs in his first over and eight in his second.  At lunch Warwickshire were 69 for three.

As if emboldened by this, Warwickshire opted for a more positive approach after the break, but lost three quick wickets as they did so.

With the score on 83 Rob Yates, defending off the back foot, was caught by Clark at second slip for 36 – the same fielder had dropped him a little earlier, when he had made 31.

Then, at 109, Warwickshire lost their fifth wicket when the dangerous Beau Webster, defending against a ball that moved away, edged Robinson to keeper John Simpson for 48.  And when captain Ed Barnard chopped on to Price for 18 the visitors were floundering on 117 for six.

But Smith and Woakes turned the innings rounds with a century stand in 19 overs.  When they reached tea on 223 for six Warwickshire had scored 154 runs in he session, more than double their tempo before lunch.

When Smith worked Carson to leg to reach his fifty from 63 deliveries he looked in the mood to make a major score. But on 53 he clipped Crocombe off his legs and Carson took a sharp low-down catch at midwicket.  He had hit a six (off Clark) and six fours.

Three overs later Crocombe, who had changed ends, beat Woakes for pace and took out the batsman’s off-stump.  Woakes had faced 64 deliveries and struck nine sweet fours and a pulled six off Crocombe. Price and Crocombe polished of the tail.