Wright denied century as Sussex and Leicestershire battle for control

Ben Raine took two wickets in two balls in the final session to wrest the initiative back for Leicestershire at the end of an absorbing first day of their Specsavers county championship match against Sussex at the Fischer County Ground.
Luke Wright struck 88 / Picture by PW Sporting PhotographyLuke Wright struck 88 / Picture by PW Sporting Photography
Luke Wright struck 88 / Picture by PW Sporting Photography

Raine produced fine seaming deliveries to bowl first Luke Wright, who had looked set for a century but was out for 88, and Ollie Robinson after Sussex had recovered strongly from being 52-3 at lunch. Sussex closed on 254 for seven.

Pakistan international seamer Muhammad Abbas, making his debut for the Foxes, bowled an outstanding opening spell, conceding just four runs from seven overs and taking one of the three wickets to fall during the opening session after Sussex skipper Ben Brown - who was to score 64 - had won the toss and chosen to bat.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Openers Luke Wells and Phillip Salt received very few bad balls as they battled through the first hour. Wells faced 25 balls in scoring two runs, and had been hit on the shoulder by Abbas before he edged Raine to wicket-keeper Lewis Hill.

If that was a straightforward take for Hill, the catch he took to dismiss Salt off Abbas in the following over was anything but, a thick edge flying towards first slip, but the wicketkeeper took it beautifully two-handed to his right.

In the final over before lunch Harry Finch drove loosely at a Neil Dexter out-swinger, failed to keep the ball down, and saw Colin Ackermann take a smart catch at gully.

Wright and Stiaan Van Zyl dug in and began to prosper a seam attack which, while accurate, was understandably less penetrative with the older ball on a pitch flattening under unbroken sunshine.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The batsmen had extended their partnership to 63 when Leicestershire captain Michael Carberry turned to spinner Callum Parkinson, and the left-armer was successful with just his second ball as Van Zyl’s uncertain push resulted in an edge to Colin Ackermann at slip.

Wright reached his 50 off 92 balls, which included nine fours, shortly before tea, and he and Brown had brought up a century partnership before Abbas made the breakthrough with the new ball, having, on 64, caught at slip off an out-swinger.

Raine then struck twice to give Leicestershire a slight advantage to take into the second day.

Wright said: “I was pretty nervous after getting a first-baller last week, against Warwickshire, so it was nice to get a few. We were in a bit of trouble at 52-3, and at 254-7 it’s pretty hard to say who has got the advantage – it’s probably honours even.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“Abbas is a good bowler, he’s always at the stumps and there’s a bit of swing both ways, so it was a case of trying to get through the early spells. Then they came back well with the new ball, Ben Raine always challenges you, but we stuck at it too.

“I felt in a little bit of a bubble, in a really good place – as though it was going to take a good ball to get me out, and in fairness Ben Raine bowled one! It would have been nice to have got a hundred here at the club where I started, but after last week I’d have taken 88.

“There was a little bit there for [Callum] Parkinson, so hopefully as the game goes on and if the sun stays out there’ll be a bit there for Beery [Will Beer] too.”

ends