Sussex vs Warwickshire | Day Two

By Paul Weaver, ECB Reporters’ Network supported by Rothesay.

Warwickshire moved into a strong position on the second day of a low scoring match when they dismissed Sussex for 204 to take a first innings lead of 63.

Sussex made a strong start to their first innings but then lost eight wickets for 72 runs before a ninth wicket partnership of 66 between captain Ollie Robinson and Jack Carson led them to partial recovery.

In their second innings Warwickshire scored 154 for five to extend their advantage to 217 runs.

There was no sign of the mayhem to follow in the Sussex innings as openers Tom Haines and Dan Hughes added 58 for the first wicket at more than four an over, with both left-handers making the most of some indifferent Warwickshire bowling.

But Sussex were undone by a combination of a sporting wicket, some improved bowling, a couple of marginal umpiring decisions and poor strokes from Haines, James Coles and John Simpson.

Haines was bowled by Ethan Bamber playing a crooked drive in the 14th over, although the ball came in from the bowler’s position wide on the crease.

The wicket precipitated a collapse in which Sussex lost five wickets for 25 runs in six overs. Tom Clark was out to the third delivery he faced, attempting to turn a ball to leg and getting a leading edge to mid-off.

And it was 78 for three when Coles, who had already offered a sharp chance to midwicket on eight, was caught at second slip attempting to drive a ball that was too short for the purpose. He had scored eleven off 12 deliveries.

Without addition Hughes was lbw to Michael Booth for a 52-ball 30, although the ball may have pitched a fraction outside leg stump. John Simpson, so often a man in a crisis, had made just five when he played a loose drive and was caught behind; 83 for five.

Jack Leaning, desperate for a score after a double failure on debut at Leicester in the previous match, made a careful 14 off 28 balls but was caught at first slip of Jordan Thompson. And when Tom Price was judged to be just in front to one from Chris Woakes Sussex’s score of 115 for seven was a little like Warwickshire’s 117 for six the previous day.

At tea Sussex were 130 for seven.  And Hudson-Prentice was caught behind off the first ball after the break.

But skipper Robinson and Carson, who both made 39, then batted for 15 overs to help Sussex top 200.

When Warwickshire batted again they lost four quick wickets, three of them to Hudson-Prentice, who again bowled well and was on a hat-trick when he dismissed Dan Mousley and Sam Hain with successive deliveries.

At that stage, with Warwickshire leading by just 88 runs, the match was in the balance.  But Rob Yates and captain Ed Barnard moved the visitors ahead with a solid fifth wicket stand of 81 in 21 overs.

The stand came to an end when Coles came on and Barnard jumped down the wicket to his second delivery and slogged him to mid-on.  He looked crestfallen, holding his bat above his head.  But Yates remained to push Warwickshire’s lead to over 200 with a season’s best unbeaten 75.