[themaclad]

LV= County Championship Group Three, Emirates Old Trafford, Manchester (day four)
Lancashire 305 & 296-7 dec: Croft 103*, Davies 36, Bailey 34
Northants 177 & 218: Procter 93; Wood 3-31, Parkinson 3-39
Lancashire (21 pts) beat Northants (3 pts) by 206 runs
Scorecard
Lancashire eventually beat Northants by 206 runs in the final hour of the match, despite a valiant rearguard effort from Luke Procter.

The ex-Lancashire all-rounder faced 294 balls as he attempted to bat out the last day, but was the final wicket to fall at the hands of Matt Parkinson.

Tom Taylor absorbed 115 balls for 13 and Nathan Buck saw off 60 deliveries.

But Luke Wood removed Buck and Simon Kerrigan in successive balls to give the Red Rose hope before Procter fell.

The 32-year-old was eyeing a fifth first-class century once number 11 Ben Sanderson joined him at the crease, but was unable to bring up the milestone despite Sanderson playing a good supporting role.

The pair managed to survive nine overs, but the persistent pressure applied by England white-ball spinner Parkinson, who bowled 16 maidens in his 32 overs, eventually told.

The visitors had begun the day on 59-3 after a superb opening spell from Saqib Mahmood appeared to have given Lancashire the upper hand heading into the fourth morning.

Although frustrated for much of the day, the home side completed the job shortly after the umpires had called for the final hour of play to register their first win of the County Championship season.

[themaclad]

The St Lawrence Ground is a cricket ground in Canterbury, Kent. It is the home ground of Kent County Cricket Club and since 2013 has been known as The Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence, due to commercial sponsorship. It is one of the oldest grounds on which first-class cricket is played, having been in use since 1847, and is the venue for Canterbury Cricket Week, the oldest cricket festival in the world. It is one of the two grounds used regularly for first-class cricket that have had a tree, the St Lawrence Lime, within the boundary.

Capacity at the ground was increased to 15,000 in 2000, and four One Day International matches have been played there, one each in 1999 (part of the 1999 Cricket World Cup), 2000, 2003 and 2005. The ground was the venue for the first day/night County Championship match, played as a trial in September 2011.

The ground was first established in 1847 on farmland owned by the fourth Baron Sondes. The land was the site of the St Lawrence Hospital, a leper hospital founded in the mid-12th century, and immediately to the south of the Old Dover Road, which follows the line of the Roman road that ran from Dover to Canterbury.[1][2][3] A Tudor manor house had been built on the site after the dissolution of the hospital in the mid 16th century and this had been demolished by 1839.[3][4][5] In the 18th century the house was known as St Lawrence.[1]

The ground was laid out by Fuller Pilch, a professional cricketer who had been the groundsman at Town Malling and, from 1842, the Beverley Ground in north-east Canterbury. Kent County Cricket Club had been formed at the Beverley Ground in 1842 and the St Lawrence Ground was established to be used for their Canterbury Cricket Week in 1847.[6][7] The 1847 Cricket Week saw the first first-class cricket matches held on the ground, with Kent playing England and the Gentlemen of Kent playing the Gentlemen of England.[8]

Initially, the St Lawrence ground was used only for the annual Cricket Week, and pasture land for the rest of the each year.[4] A St Lawrence Cricket Club was formed in 1864 specifically to use the ground more regularly for cricket[9] and improvements began to be made to the ground in the 1870s after the amalgamation of the East (Beverley) and West (Maidstone) Kent Cricket Clubs, forming the current Kent County Cricket Club. The ground was purchased for £4,500 by the county club from the 2nd Earl Sondes in 1896, a purchase partly funded by public subscription, and became Kent's headquarters,[10][11][12][13] although it was only used for county cricket during the Canterbury week until well into the 20th century.[14]

Prior to the purchase of the ground there were few permanent structures on it, accommodation during Cricket Week being provided in tents.[4] The Iron Stand (now named the Les Ames Stand) is the oldest building still on the ground and was built in 1890; this was followed by the Pavilion, which was opened in 1900, and the adjacent Annexe Stand, originally built in 1907.[1][15][16]


Kent versus Lancashire in 1906, by Albert Chevallier Tayler. The painting shows the Pavilion as it stood in 1906.
Kent's first County Championship title in 1906 was marked by the commissioning of a painting of the team playing Lancashire on the ground. The painting, Kent vs Lancashire at Canterbury by Albert Chevallier Tayler, depicts a view of the ground from the Nackington Road End with Colin Blythe, Kent's greatest pre-war bowler, bowling from the Pavilion End of the ground. The Pavilion can be seen clearly behind Blythe. The painting was hung in the Pavilion until 1999, when insurance payments proved too expensive and it was loaned to the MCC and hung in the Long Room at Lord's. It was permanently sold to MCC in 2006 and remains in the Lord's Pavilion, with a copy hanging in the St Lawrence Ground Pavilion. [17]

Kent won three more County Championships in the years before World War I. War was declared during Canterbury Week in 1914, although cricket continued until the end of the season and matches were moved to the ground from Dover due to wartime activity.[18] During the war, the ground was used by the military and occupied by the Field Ambulance detachment of the South Eastern Mounted Brigade. Horses were stabled along the south side of the ground, including in the Iron Stand.[19] During World War II the ground was used as an alternative civil defence control centre.[20] The Frank Woolley Stand was built adjacent to the Pavilion in the 1920s, and the Colin Cowdrey Stand added in the 1980s. Significant redevelopment was undertaken at the ground during the early 21st century, during which land was sold for housing.

Cricketing feats to have taken place on the ground include the first triple century scored in top-class cricket, by WG Grace in 1876 playing for the MCC against Kent.[21] As of 2018 it remains the only triple century to have been scored on the ground.[22] Kent leg-spinner Doug Wright took his seventh first-class hat-trick on the ground in 1949, a world record that remains to this day. Six of Wright's hat-tricks were taken while playing for Kent, although only the last was taken on the ground.[23][24][25]

Kent have played more than 950 top-class matches on the ground, including over 550 first-class games.[26] It was the venue for the first day/night County Championship match, played as a trial in September 2011, and regularly stages day/night limited-overs matches.[27] It has been used for four men's one-day international matches and for women's international cricket Test matches and one-day matches, as well as for games by England Lions and age-group sides. In 2014, the ground was the venue for the first cricket match to be played between the Vatican and the Church of England.[28]

The ground has been known as The Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence since a 2013 sponsorship deal between the club and local brewery Shepherd Neame. The deal gave naming rights to the ground for a ten-year period to the company, which has been a long-term sponsor of the club and brews a beer named Spitfire.[29][30] The Supermarine Spitfire is associated with the Battle of Britain, much of which was fought in the skies above the county in 1940 and after which Kent's limited-overs team is named.[31][

FAMOUS KENT CRICKETER

Frank Edward Woolley (27 May 1887 – 18 October 1978) was an English first-class cricketer active 1906 to 1938 who played for Kent County Cricket Club and England. He was born in Tonbridge and died in Chester, Nova Scotia. His elder brother, Claude Woolley, played for Northamptonshire.[1]

A genuine all-rounder, Woolley was a left-handed batsman and a left-arm bowler who varied his style between left-arm orthodox spin and left-arm medium pace. He was an outstanding fielder close to the wicket, generally at first slip, and is the only player other than wicketkeepers to hold over 1,000 catches in a first-class career. He represented England in 64 Test matches from 1909 to 1934. Woolley is generally regarded as one of cricket's greatest-ever all-rounders. His first-class career runs total is the second highest of all time, after Jack Hobbs, and he scored the seventh highest number of career centuries. His career total of wickets taken is the 27th highest. He was a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in the 1911 edition.[2][3][1]

In 2009, Woolley was inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame.[4]

KENT LAST TIME OUT

www.espncricinfo.com/series/county-championship-2021-1244186/kent-vs-yorkshire-group-3-1244226/full-scorecard

TABLE

www.espncricinfo.com/series/county-championship-2021-1244186/points-table-standings

Apparently Anderson available will we play two spinners

FORECAST

Decent but not overly warm

www.bbc.co.uk/weather/2653877

[themaclad]

An excellent century partnership between Josh Bohannon and Dane Vilas helped Lancashire overcome a difficult start on the opening day of this first LV= County Championship encounter with Kent in six years at Canterbury.

Bohannon, batting at number four for the first time, made a fine 87 before falling just before the close which Lancashire reached on 260-7 on an even day.

Daniel Bell-Drummond opted to bowl after winning the toss and Kent gained an immediate success on a lively track when Alex Davies fell for 1 after nicking a thin edge to a Matt Milnes delivery that was caught low down by wicketkeeper Ollie Robinson.



With the ball swinging significantly in the morning sunshine, Keaton Jennings and Red Rose debutant Luke Wells batted cautiously although Jennings produced a number of nice drives when the bowlers overpitched.

But Darren Stevens, the veteran 45 year-old all-rounder who opened the attack with a miserly eight over spell that cost just 11 runs, had Jennings well caught at third slip by Jack Leaning for 16 to leave the visitors in early trouble on 30-2.

Wells, who opened his Red Rose account with a glance for four to fine leg from his 21st delivery, produced some nice drives of his own off both front and back foot to help Josh Bohannon slowly rebuild either side of lunch.



The pair had just posted their 50 partnership when Wells fell for 45, the left hander appearing to change his mind about playing a shot to overseas quick Miguel Cummins with the ball glancing the bat on its way through to Robinson.

Steven Croft was lbw to a swinging Stevens delivery for 2 to make the score 85-4 in the 40th over but Bohannon and Vilas combined to steady the innings before gradually increasing their dominance through the afternoon.

Bohannon worked really hard for his runs, reached fifty for the second match in a row from 136 balls which included consecutive boundaries off Cummins, while captain Vilas played with real authority in going to his half century from a 65-ball effort that included two sixes.



The pair were parted just after tea having added 102 for the fifth wicket when Vilas was lbw for 53 to left arm pace bowler Fred Klaassen, and the loss of Rob Jones for 2, stumped after being tempted down the wicket by spinner Jack Leaning, left Lancashire on 190-6.

Bohannon soldiered on with great determination and concentration and he received great support from Luke Wood, who mixed attack with defence in his 28 not out, in a partnership that added 58 valuable runs in reasonable comfort given that Kent took the new ball with an hour of the day left.



The home attack stuck to their task well and they were rewarded when Cummins ended Bohannon’s 211-ball stay by trapping the clearly dismayed 24 year-old lbw for 87 with six overs to go.

Danny Lamb, returning to the side this week, remained unbeaten on 12 and will resume in the morning alongside Wood with Lancashire 260-7

[themaclad]

Records tumbled as Luke Wood and Danny Lamb had a day to remember after each made outstanding career-best centuries to put Lancashire in complete control of this LV= Insurance County Championship match against Kent who trail by 440 runs after closing on 85-4.

Wood reached his second first-class century with his innings of 117 bettering the 100 he made for Notts against Sussex at Trent Bridge in 2015 while Lamb posted his maiden first-class hundred on a truly memorable day.



The pair came together at six o’clock on the first evening and over the course of the second day smashed several eighth wicket records before Wood edged behind off a somewhat relived Matt Milnes just before 3pm, having added 187 with Lamb across 56 overs and 4 balls.

Lamb continued to pile on the runs, going on to make 125-the highest-ever score by a Lancashire number nine beating a record that had stood since John I’Anson made 110 not out v Surrey in 1902-and receiving great support from Tom Bailey who struck a rapid 47 in a total of 525 all out.



Bailey then returned with ball in hand to strike in the first over of the Kent reply when Jordan Cox edged to Luke Wells at third slip for 0.

Luke Wood’s day continued to get better when the left-arm pace bowler squared up Daniel Bell-Drummond-with Alex Davies taking the edge-in the following over and then snared Joe Denly who edged via his pads to Wells for 4 with Kent 23-3.

Some excellent counter-attacking strokes by Zak Crawley took the England batsman to a 47-ball half century that included 10 fours as Kent fought back.

But after helping Crawley add 53 runs, Jack Leaning became Wood’s third victim when he chipped to sub fielder Jack Blatherwick at square leg having made 12.

Zak Crawley (60 not out) and Heino Kuhn (1 not out) will resume tomorrow morning.



Having started the day on 260-7, the initial ambition of the remaining Lancashire batsmen was to push the score past 300 and that was achieved with some comfort as runs came from the start as the Kent attack, so accurate yesterday, failed to exert early pressure with some wayward deliveries.

Both Wood and Lamb played with increasing assurance as the day progressed and perhaps the most impressive aspect of their partnership was how untroubled they were throughout, and the hosts attack struggled to find any answer as the day wore on.



Ninety runs had been added by lunch and the records began to fall during the afternoon. The first at 367-7 set a new Lancashire 8th wicket record v Kent beating the 115* between John Abrahams & Jack Simmons at Maidstone in 1981.

Wood swept Denly for four to reach his first Red Rose century with the shot taking the score to 408-7 and also setting a new first-class 8th wicket partnership record for Lancashire beating the 158 by John Lyon & Bob Ratcliffe v Warwickshire at Old Trafford in 1979.



Eighteen runs later, the pair had set a new 8th wicket ground record at Canterbury to add to the list and after Wood’s 241-ball innings ended ten minutes shy of five hours, Lamb headed on towards three figures.

He got there just before tea in magnificent and brave style, hitting Leaning straight for six – but there was an anxious moment as substitute fielder Tawanda Muyeye, positioned at long-on, just got his fingertips to the ball but was unable to take the catch.



Lamb finally succumbed after tea from his 232nd ball faced, following nearly five hours at the crease, when chopping on to Fred Klaassen for 125 and both he and Luke Wood will long remember a special day.

[themaclad]

Lancashire’s bid for victory in this LV= Insurance County Championship match was held up by a battling rear-guard action from the Kent opening batsmen after the hosts were made to follow-on.

A rampant Red Rose attack took the remaining six first-innings wickets by lunch on the third morning, but found the going a much tougher proposition second time around on an increasingly placid Canterbury pitch.

Matt Parkinson struck late in the afternoon to break a century partnership from opening pair Daniel Bell-Drummond and Jordan Cox but Lancashire will need nine more when play resumes tomorrow with the hosts closing on 209-1, still 147 runs in arrears.

The day began in sensational fashion as Zak Crawley played loosely at the first ball of the day from Tom Bailey that he edged behind to Alex Davies for 60 to leave Kent 85-5 in their first innings.



That was a great start because Crawley had looked to be in fine form during the evening session yesterday and Lancashire’s day continued to improve when Parkinson was brought into the attack.

The leg spinner struck with his sixth delivery when Heino Kuhn top edged a sweep to Rob Jones at midwicket, and the ball after seeing Darren Stevens dropped, Parkinson responded by trapping the veteran all-rounder lbw for 1.

Bailey (4-46) then chipped in with two wickets in two balls; nipping a delivery back to bowl Ollie Robinson for 21 and then finding the edge of Fred Klassen’s bat with Keaton Jennings taking a good catch, low to his right at first slip, to leave Kent 133-9.



Miguel Cummins thumped a six and a couple of boundaries before being last out on the stroke of lunch, brilliantly caught one-handed by Dane Vilas at mid-off for 19 after he had driven hard at Josh Bohannon to cap an outstanding morning’s work by the Red Rose bowlers.

Kent, 169 all out and trailing by 356 runs, were made to follow-on after the interval but Bell-Drummond and Cox responded with a big century partnership, an Impressive effort under pressure, to frustrate Lancashire’s victory bid.

With little help coming from the pitch, the bowlers had little alternative but to resort to bowling straight and attempt to restrict the scoring while hunting for a mistake by the batsman.

Dane Vilas rotated his attack but by and large, the Kent openers had few alarms apart from an occasional delivery keeping low.



Bell-Drummond and Cox batted through the afternoon, each posting half centuries, to reach tea on 141-0 and they continued to make progress steadily through the evening until Cox, having made 80 of his teams’ 176 runs, drove Parkinson uppishly to cover where Jones made a fine diving catch.

The host’s captain went on to reach an excellent century from 180 balls and was still there on 108 at the close alongside Crawley (13 not out) with Kent 209-1 and fighting hard to save this game.

[themaclad]

Lancashire 525 (Lamb 125, Wood 119, Bohannon 87, Vilas 53) beat Kent 169 (Crawley 60, Bailey 4-46) and 351 (Bell-Drummond 114, Cox 80, Parkinson 7-126) by an innings and five runs

Lancashire moved top of Group Three after thrashing Kent by an innings and five runs in their LV= Insurance County Championship match at Canterbury.

Matt Parkinson helped spin the visitors to 22 points, claiming 7 for 126 as Kent were all out for 351 in their second innings, while Danny Lamb, who scored 125 on the second day, claimed 2 for 57.

Daniel Bell-Drummond made 114, but the hosts lost three wickets in the morning session and collapsed from 305 for 4 after lunch, leaving them bottom of the table, having picked up just two bonus points.

With the St Lawrence ground under cloud for the first time this season and buffeted by a north-easterly wind strong enough to blow over advertising hoardings, Kent began the final day on 209 for 1 following on, still 147 in arrears.

Bell-Drummond added just six to his overnight score when he played on to Josh Bohannon and Parkinson then hit Kent with a gut punch, taking two wickets from successive balls. Zak Crawley was lbw for 36 to a full toss that landed on his toe and Jack Leaning was caught and bowled for a golden duck, lingering for several seconds before the umpires agreed the ball hadn't bounced.

Joe Denly and Heino Kuhn steered Kent to 280 for 4 at lunch, but just as the hosts began to harbour plausible hopes of at least forcing Lancashire to bat again, both were removed by Lamb. Kuhn was lbw for 32 in the 53rd over and in the 55th Denly's middle stump was sent flying as he was bowled for 31.

Darren Stevens went for a duck in the next over, caught by Rob Jones as he tried to drive Parkinson through extra cover and Matt Milnes was unable to recreate last week's rearguard against Yorkshire, lasting 27 balls before he was lbw to Parkinson for 14, leaving Kent on 345 for 8 at tea.

Fred Klaassen was on three when he steered a Lamb delivery into his stumps and although he was reprieved when the ball failed to dislodge the bails, Parkinson had him caught by Steven Croft at silly point before he could add to his score. Lancashire sealed the win when Parkinson drew an inside edge from Miguel Cummins and he was caught by Keaton Jennings at short leg.

Having bowled 52 overs, Parkinson described the result as "probably the best four-day win I've had".


"It was a long stint, I think last week got me ready and to bowl 50 was awesome," he said. "I think I bowled two full sessions, so for Dane to trust me for that length of time and for me to perform in those overs was amazing, so I'm just pleased to get the win.

"It was nice to get two wickets in the first innings, I think that probably calmed me down a bit. Coming into this game I was a bit nervous, about going from Old Trafford - which I'm used to - to a very flat surface, but I relaxed into a long spell.

"They played well, [Jordan] Cox and Bell-Drummond, but it's testimony to the energy that we've got at the minute, it's a massive change from what I'm used to in this Lancashire side for us to have that belief. From 200 for one, I don't think many teams in the country would have won from there."

[themaclad]

Sussex County Cricket Club is the oldest of eighteen first-class county clubs within the domestic cricket structure of England and Wales. It represents the historic county of Sussex. Its limited overs team is called the Sussex Sharks. The club was founded in 1839 as a successor to the various Sussex county cricket teams, including the old Brighton Cricket Club, which had been representative of the county of Sussex as a whole since the 1720s. The club has always held first-class status. Sussex have competed in the County Championship since the official start of the competition in 1890 and have played in every top-level domestic cricket competition in England.[1]

The club colours are traditionally blue and white and the shirt sponsors are Aerotron for the Specsavers County Championship, Parafix for Royal London One-Day Cup matches and Boundless for NatWest Blast T20 matches. Its home ground is the County Cricket Ground, Hove. Sussex also play matches around the county at Arundel, Eastbourne and Horsham.

Sussex won its first ever official County Championship title in 2003 and subsequently became the dominant team of the decade, repeating the success in 2006 and 2007. In 2006 Sussex achieved ‘the double’, beating Lancashire to clinch the C&G Trophy, before winning the County Championship following an emphatic victory against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge, in which Sussex defeated their hosts by an innings and 245 runs.[2] Sussex then won the title for the third time in five years in 2007, when in a nail-biting finale on the last day of the season,[3] Sussex defeated Worcestershire early in the day and then had to wait until past five o'clock as title rivals Lancashire narrowly failed to beat Surrey – prompting relieved celebrations at the County Cricket Ground, Hove.[4] Sussex enjoyed further limited overs success with consecutive Pro40 wins in 2008 and 2009 as well as beating Somerset at Edgbaston to lift the 2009 Twenty20 Cup. The south coast county ended the decade having won ten trophies in ten years.

On 1 November 2015, Sussex County Cricket Club (SCCC) merged with the Sussex Cricket Board (SCB) to form a single governing body for cricket in Sussex, called Sussex Cricket Limited

he County Cricket Ground, known for sponsorship reasons as The 1st Central County Ground,[1] is a cricket venue in Hove, East Sussex, England. The County Ground is the home of Sussex County Cricket Club, where most Sussex home matches since 1872 have been played, although many other grounds in Sussex have been used. Sussex CCC continue to play some of their games away from The County Ground, at either Arundel Castle and Horsham. It is one of the few county grounds to have deckchairs for spectators, in the Sussex CCC colours of blue and white,[2] and was the first cricket ground to install permanent floodlights, for day/night cricket matches and the second ground (after Edgbaston) to host a day/night match in England, in 1997.[3]

Prior to 1872, Sussex County Cricket Club played their home matches at Royal Brunswick Ground. The land for the County Ground was a barley field until it was bought in 1871. The turf from the Royal Brunswick Ground was then brought to the County Ground, which became the home of Sussex CCC in 1872, and continues to be so.[4]

In 1872, George "Farmer" Bennett became the first batsman in first-class cricket to be given out handled ball during a match between Kent and Sussex at the County Ground.[5] In 1873, Sussex bowled Worcestershire out for 19 at Hove.[6] In 1884–85, the public raised £4,400 towards the purchase of the ground, with the Earl of Sheffield contributing an additional £600.[7] In the 20th century, the ground was used for some other cricket matches, such as a charity match in 1927 between the "Jockeys" and the "Racing Press", in aid of the Royal Sussex County Hospital and the Royal Alexandra Children's Hospital,[8] and an annual match between local commercial travellers and grocers, nicknamed "Travellers v. Grocers"; in 1925, the match was won by the Travellers by 1 run.[9]

The ground has hosted one men's One Day International;[4] the match was part of the 1999 Cricket World Cup, and was a Group A match between South Africa and India, which South Africa won by 4 wickets.[10] The County Ground has also hosted 2 Test matches in The Women's Ashes in 1987 and 2005;[11] in addition, the ground hosted two One Day Internationals in the 2013 Women's Ashes,[12] As of 2017, 5 Women's ODIs and 4 Women's T20Is have been hosted at the ground.[13][14]

In 2003, The County Ground was the venue where Sussex won their first County Championship title. In that match, Sussex batsman Murray Goodwin also scored 335*, which was then highest score by a Sussex player in first-class cricket.[17] The ground also saw Sussex win their third Championship title in 2007.[19]

FAMOUS SUSSEX PLAYER

Edward Ralph Dexter, CBE (born 15 May 1935)[1] is a former England international cricketer. An aggressive middle-order batsman of ferocious power and a right-arm medium bowler, he captained Sussex and England in the early 1960s. He is known by the nickname Lord Ted.

LANCS VIEW

fter a freezing cold opening week draw against Sussex at Emirates Old Trafford was curtailed by snow, the Red Rose have won back-to-back games at home to Northamptonshire and away at Kent last week.

The innings and five-run win, secured after tea on day four on Sunday, was played out on a flat Canterbury surface and took a Herculean effort to bowl the hosts out twice.

Matt Parkinson claimed a career best seven wickets in the second innings, leading many of the players to take to social media and laud the win’s significance.

Rob Jones, for example, said the win was his “best to date” as Lancashire moved top of Group Three.

Another win in the South this week will cement that position and put the county on course for an all important top two finish in the group.

With Yorkshire sitting second, it has already brought into focus the potential importance of the two Roses clashes at Old Trafford and Scarborough, the first of which is at the end of next month.

But there is a lot of cricket to be played before then.

Can Sussex halt Lancashire’s winning run?



Team News
Jimmy Anderson remains sidelined with the calf injury which ruled him out of last week’s win at Kent, a fixture which had been earmarked for his return to county action.

But there is good news on Liam Livingstone. He is back in contention having returned home early from the Indian Premier League.

Sussex, meanwhile, are likely to have Anderson’s England team-mate Jofra Archer available at some point soon as he recovers from elbow and fingers injuries. But this week will come too soon for the devastating fast bowler who will not be going to the IPL.

Opposition view
Since drawing with Lancashire at Emirates Old Trafford in the opening round of the season, Sussex have won one and lost one.

They beat Glamorgan at Sophia Gardens in the second round of fixtures and then lost to Yorkshire at Hove last week in a low-scoring fixture which was nip and tuck all the way.

Opener Tom Haines has started the season in fine form, building on his 155 at Old Trafford, with an 87 against Glamorgan and 86 against Yorkshire.

Left-arm quick George Garton and Irish off-spinner Jack Carson both claimed the wicket of England Test captain Joe Root last week and impressed.

The Hove pitch proved two-paced last week and took more spin as the game wore on.

In the second innings, Irish spinner Jack Carson claimed five wickets for Sussex and Dom Bess six wickets for Yorkshire as they defended a 235 target to win by 48 runs.

Matt Parkinson will be licking his lips!



Previous meeting
The two sides played out a high-scoring draw during the freezing cold opening week of the season at the start of the month.

Sussex, having elected to bat, slumped to 14-3 and 40-4, only for Tom Haines to underpin their recovery to 301 all out on day two with a third career century.

Then, it was the Dane Vilas show. His special 189, supplemented by fifties for Alex Davies and Rob Jones, secured a lead of 100 at 401 all out.

Unfortunately, weather, including final day snow meaning only 36 overs were bowled, took significant time out of the game, and Sussex finished on 103-2.

Tom Bailey and Saqib Mahmood both took four wickets in the match.



What they said
Luke Wells says he is in a “good place” with his game as he prepares to return to the county who released him last summer.

Top order batter Wells, 30, joined Lancashire almost immediately after a successful spell at Hove came to a challenging conclusion in 2020.

A player with 18 first-class centuries for the South Coast county, dating back to 2011, Wells fell out of favour and did not play at all last summer.

But both he and the Red Rose county are confident in his ability to find top form once more.

After a pre-season hamstring injury - suffered doing hill sprints up Rivington Pike - left-handed Wells debuted for Lancashire in last week’s win at Kent, making an encouraging 45 from number three.

Part of Wells’ bid to re-ignite his career has seen him adopt a more relaxed attitude to the game.

“I got a bit wrapped up with technique in the past and was a bit up and down in my mental headspace. I got a bit low on myself when I wasn’t producing results,” he explained. “It’s just about having that perspective that whatever happens, this is my passion.



“I have been working really hard on my game and feel in a really good place.

“Funnily, when I’ve had injuries in the past, I’ve ended up having some of my best seasons immediately afterwards. I have no doubt that I can get back to my best.”

Wells expects his return ‘home’ to feel “odd” this week should he retain selection. But he insists there is only one target, and it will not be proving a point to his former employers.

“I’ve thought about it a lot,” he said.

“There are other players who have left Sussex over the years and never actually played against them. Chris Nash, for example, when he was at Notts.

“It will be odd, but I’m just approaching it as another game. There’s no point bigging it up in my head.

“The most important thing is it’s a chance to get points in the bag towards the aims and goals we have here at Lancashire - firstly, finishing in the top two in the group.

“I’m just going to focus on that.”

And, of course, Wells will have the inside track on many of his former team-mates, though added: “I do have a fair bit of knowledge about their guys. But, at the end of the day, you have to control your own game as individuals. That is the best way to defeat any opposition.”

[themaclad]

County Championship Group Three, The 1st Central County Ground, Hove (day one):
Sussex 318-7: van Zyl 79, Haines 58; Bailey 3-69
Lancashire: Yet to bat
Sussex 3pts, Lancashire 2pts
Sussex started well with the bat against Lancashire as they finished day one on 318-7 in their County Championship fixture at Hove.

After losing Aaron Thomason for an 11-ball duck, Stiaan van Zyl (79) and Tom Haines (58) steadied the hosts.

Once their 133-run partnership was broken, however, Lancashire fought back to frustrate Sussex's middle order.

Ben Brown (46) and Delray Rawlins (42) fell short of fifties, with Tom Bailey (3-69) leading the visitors' response.

Lancashire came into the game boosted by the return of Liam Livingstone, who was playing his first County Championship game of the season having withdrawn from the Indian Premier League.

But they were still without England seamer James Anderson, who continues to struggle with a calf injury.

Van Zyl reached his half-century in 81 balls - including seven fours and a six - while Haines swiftly followed with a quickfire 68-ball fifty of his own, his fourth half-century of the season bolstering the hosts' attack.

However, Haines was caught by Dane Vilas off the bowling of Saqib Mahmood, while Van Zyl fell cheaply having played straight to Luke Wells at backward point, with George Garton (30 not out) closing out the day alongside Jack Carson (13 not out).

[themaclad]

Sussex view

It was hard to see who had the biggest smile at the end of an absorbing day as Jack Carson and Jamie Atkins walked off the outfield at The 1st Central County Ground.

Young off-spinner Carson continued his impressive start to the season with four wickets to lead a strong Sussex recovery against Lancashire in the LV=Insurance County Championship Group 3 match.



The 20-year-old from Northern Ireland finished the second day with four for 50 from 28 overs as Lancashire reached 193 for six in reply to Sussex’s 328, having been 137 for one.

Carson now has 15 wickets this season but 18-year-old debutant Atkins will have enjoyed the day just as much. He may have had a touch of good fortune when Dane Vilas played and the ball rattled into his off stump.

But claiming the Lancashire skipper's wicket for a duck three weeks after he'd taken 189 off the Sussex attack at Old Trafford was still worthy of the exuberant celebration which followed and a deserved reward for the 6ft 6in fast bowler, whose 15 overs cost just 27 runs.


Lancashire openers Alex Davies and Keaton Jennings had put on 93 with few alarms with Jennings passing 50 for the first time this season, but Carson broke through in his fifth over when a quicker ball deceived Davies (34) who chopped on trying to cut after nearly three hours at the crease.

Jennings had been missed at slip by Stiaan van Zyl on 53 off the luckless George Garton but it wasn’t expensive. He added just seven more before edging Carson to slip off a delivery which turned just enough out of the rough.

That left Lancashire 137 for two, but they then lost four wickets for the addition of just seven runs. Stuart Meaker was rewarded for an excellent spell down the slope when Luke Wells (28), on his first return to the county where he spent ten seasons, followed one and was caught behind.



Carson’s third victim was Steven Croft (5), who was athletically caught off bat and pad by wicketkeeper Ben Brown diving forward, and it was 151 for five when Atkins enjoyed his big moment.

Liam Livingstone’s first Championship innings of the season lasted just four balls as Aaron Thomason took a juggling catch at short leg to give the irrepressible Carson his fourth wicket and Lancashire had lost five for 24 runs in 8.5 overs. Josh Bohannon and Danny Lamb negotiated 23 overs to stumps but their side still trail by 135.


Five of the seven bowlers used by Sussex finished the day with economy rates below two runs per over. None of them went at more than three an over.

Earlier, Sussex added just six runs to their overnight 317 for seven before being dismissed for 323 with Lamb taking the last three wickets. He bowled Carson (13) via an inside edge, ran out Henry Crocombe (5) by deflecting the ball onto the stumps as Crocombe backed up before Garton (35) was last out, caught at fine leg. Lamb finished with three for 59 and Tom Bailey took three for 69 before Lancashire’s reply was held up by rain which forced a 40-minute delay.



Sussex's debutant Jamie Atkins said, "I knew on Tuesday I was going to make my debut and it was just a case then of making sure that physically and mentally I was right. It's a great environment to come into because everyone is so supportive and I have played in the Sussex pathway with guys like Henry Crocombe and Jack Carson. I don't think Henry or I expected to be opening the bowling for Sussex in a Championship game when we were in the under-13s together!

"I can't really put into words what it was like to get my first wicket, especially as it was such an important one as Dane Vilas, their captain. I was so chuffed as my celebrations probably showed."



Lancashire opener Keaton Jennings summed up his side's day at the close. "We are probably slightly behind the eight ball and it will be important to get through the new ball tomorrow. I was disappointed with myself because I was aiming to get a big score to help push the game forward. Wickets have fallen in clumps which might be the nature of the surface but there are still two days left and a lot of cricket to be played. I feel like I have played nicely without getting a score so it's nice to get 60 but I am kicking myself for not having gone on and made a big score."

[themaclad]

Lancashire 230 (Carson 4-51) and 124 for 2 (Davies 73) need a further 129 to beat Sussex 328 and 154 (Bailey 3-28)

Explaining to a youngster who hasn't yet been to Hove the location of the 1st Central County Ground she, of course, wondered what would happen if a batter "hit the biggest shot ever and it landed in the sea

As fanciful as that is at anytime, there was zero chance when the third day appeared, for a large part, to belong to the bowlers with 16 wickets falling and Sussex conceding a buoyant position before clawing their way back to set Lancashire a victory target of 253.

But then Alex Davies took charge of Lancashire's pursuit, and changed the complexion of the game, the emptiness of the stands making it sound as though he'd swapped his bat for a rifle as he cracked 10 fours and a six on his way to a rapid-fire 73 off just 59 balls. His 102-run stand with Keaton Jennings ensured the visitors had closed the requirement to 129 with a full day ahead and eight wickets in hand.


Jennings was unbeaten with 35 off 85 balls after Jack Carson claimed his fifth wicket of the match, snaring Luke Wells lbw within a breath of stumps, which arrived slightly earlier than scheduled in fading light.

With Carson having spun the hosts into a position of strength by the end of the second day, with Lancashire 193 for 6 in reply to Sussex's first-innngs 328, Jamie Atkins, the teenage quick on debut, picked up where they had left off when he had Josh Bohannon out lbw in the third over of the morning.

With Bohannon gone, having added 11 to his overnight score of 26, it looked like a case of the Sussex bowlers simply cleaning up the tail as Henry Crocombe bowled Tom Bailey with a beauty that sent leg stump cartwheeling and Stuart Meaker, who had bowled economically for just one wicket, added two more as Lancashire were all out for 230 within the first hour, still 98 runs adrift.

Meaker finished with 3 for 22 from 13.2 overs after he had Danny Lamb, the other not-out batsman overnight, lbw and Matt Parkinson caught behind by Ben Brown off a short ball that clipped the glove. Carson ended with 4 for 51.

But batting proved no easier for Sussex. They stumbled to lunch at 37 for 3 and, were it not for a tenacious 45 from Delray Rawlins, they might have struggled to stay in the match.

Lamb made the breakthrough for Lancashire, when he had Aaron Thomason out edging to Wells, who took a fluid catch moving to his right at first slip. Tom Bailey then rattled through the rest of the top order either side of lunch, ensuring there would be no reprise of the first-innings half-centuries by the in-form Tom Haines and Stiaan van Zyl as he accounted for the pair, and Tom Clark, cheaply.

Bailey claimed an impressive 3 for 28 from 10 overs, including five maidens, while Lamb, Liam Livingstone and Matt Parkinson took two wickets apiece.

Livingstone looked to have hurt himself fielding at second slip when a ball struck sharply by Meaker took an awkward bounce into Livingstone's right hand, drawing a yelp of pain. But he was soon clapping vigorously in encouragement of Saqib Mahmood, who worked hard for his solitary wicket. Livingstone bowled the very next over, a maiden, and it wasn't long before he had Meaker caught spooning the ball to Steven Croft at midwicket.

Parkinson only entered the attack in the over before tea and struck with his third ball, a full and floating delivery that struck Carson's pad right in line with middle stump after a handy 21 off 27 to send Sussex to the break at 139 for 8, a lead of 237.

Parkinson's next over was an eventful one, echoing the theme of the day. Rawlins reverse-swept his first ball for four and sent him to the boundary again two balls later with a conventional sweep. But Parkinson had the final say when Rawlins erroneously left a sharp-turning legspinner that jagged back into the top of off-stump, the batter punching his thigh pad in fury with himself before turning on his heel to walk off.

Livingstone had the last man out, Crocombe, with the sixth lbw decision of the innings and 11th for the match up to that point. Sussex were all out for 154, a lead of 252 which, given the steady crash of wickets, looked to at least have given their bowlers something to aim at.


Davies had other ideas, though. In the fifth over of the run chase, he helped himself to 18 off Crocombe, pulling the first ball for six and ending it with consecutive fours.

He brought up his fifty off 36 balls with a four clipped through midwicket off George Garton and was bitterly disappointed when he fell to Meaker's back-of-a-length delivery which found an inside edge onto his stumps, Davies throwing his head to the bright evening sky in anguish.

But he and his side had good reason for cheer at the close, with victory a more realistic proposition than any beachcombers having to duck for cover.