Tom Haines' unbeaten half-century ensures Sussex remain in the hunt

A crucial half-century from Tom Haines and his unbroken 44-run fifth-wicket partnership with Ben Brown has kept Sussex in the hunt after day two of their LV= Insurance County Championship match with Northamptonshire. The home side are 61 runs ahead with six second innings wickets in hand. 

Another @TomHainess fifty! ✨

This one came off 77 balls with six fours. Keep going, Hainesy! 👊 pic.twitter.com/mrRA4f3CIZ

— Sussex Cricket (@SussexCCC) May 28, 2021

After conceding a first-innings deficit of 81, Sussex all but cleared their arrears for the loss of one wicket before Northants wrested back the initiative. Left-arm spinner Simon Kerrigan picked up Stiaan van Zyl (17) and Travis Head (0) in successive overs as the runs dried up and when Tom Clark (13) followed Gareth Berg’s away-swinger and was held at third slip, Sussex were effectively 17 for four. But opener Haines dug in with an unbeaten 64 and Ben Brown (34 not out) counter-attacked in the last hour.

Those three quick wickets in the final session were important but so were the runs Berg added with last man Ben Sanderson before Northants were dismissed for 256. The 40-year-old made an unbeaten 43 while Sanderson, who took five wickets in Sussex’s first innings, frustrated them with the bat, contributing 20 a stand of 51 in 65 balls before he was bowled by George Garton, who finished with four for 69.

Sanderson struck in his second over when Sussex went in again, snaring Aaron Thomason (8) who followed an away-swinger. Sanderson produced another high-quality spell after tea when he was very unfortunate not to take two or three wickets, and he was well supported at the other end.

Van Zyl had helped Haines put on 67 for the second wicket before Kerrigan dived to his left to take a return catch off a loose drive. Head then edged to slip for a fourth-ball duck.

Earlier, Saif Zaib had held the Northants’ innings together before he was ninth out for a top score of 64. The left-hander, who made 135 in their innings victory over Sussex earlier in the month, was ninth out after Jamie Atkins angled one away off the seam.

Jamie Atkins and Henry Crocombe picked up two wickets while left-armer Garton took three. He yorked night-watchman Kerrigan (15) and then ended a sixth wicket stand of 53 between Zaib and Rossington when the Northants’ skipper was well caught at second slip by the diving Clark. Garton ended the innings by yorking Sanderson just after Sussex had taken the new ball.

🤲 @Henry_Crocombe
🎯 @JamieAtkins2005
💥 @George_Garton

The final three Northants wickets to fall. 👇 pic.twitter.com/X8wlvsNdZv

— Sussex Cricket (@SussexCCC) May 28, 2021