Sussex Debutant Ed Joyce Provides Glamour in Dour Contest
Cricket: Sussex look to all-rounder Luke Wright to play big innings
Sussex and Lancashire have pieced together a recession of a match here, as if to mark Alistair Darling's squeeze of a budget. The run rate – just like the interest rate – is low, with fewer than 500 scored on the first two full days. And yesterday morning Lancashire managed only 50 runs in the two hours and 32 overs before lunch.
It has been boom-and-bust cricket, with precious little boom. But late in the day there was a rescue package from Ed Joyce, who followed his first-innings 90 with a more fluent 55. It has been a memorable Sussex debut for him.
Lancashire scored 299 to Sussex's 289. But they took such a long time doing it that both sides looked in need of a fifth day to produce a positive result. Sussex, it seemed, would have to be bowled out cheaply in their second innings if either side was to have a chance of victory. But that possibility suddenly presented itself when Gary Keedy took the wickets of Murray Goodwin and Matt Prior in the space of three deliveries and then dismissed Joyce, lbw, in the last over of the day.
Sussex closed on 148 for five and are once again looking to Luke Wright, who is 35 not out, to play important cricket. He was dropped at slip when 17. Earlier, Wright had achieved his first five-for return, getting plenty of movement in the hazy conditions in the morning.
His figures were five for 80, comfortably beating the three for 33 he took against Surrey at this ground four years ago. Having lost his England one-day place, this is a big year for the all-rounder. He said: "It was disappointing just before Christmas to find out I wasn't going to the West Indies for the one-day series. But I want to get back as soon as I can. The Twenty20 World Cup is first, so the main thing is to get into the squad when it is shortened down."
Lancashire had resumed on 209 for four and lost their fifth wicket to the first ball of the second over when Steven Croft edged Wright to Joyce at first slip. Later, Joyce put down Luke Sutton, on four, with the first delivery with the new ball. The visitors looked capable of gaining an important first-innings advantage but lost their last five wickets for 46 runs as Wright bustled in from the top end of the ground. There were five catches for Prior, who has had a less happy time in front of the stumps with four runs in two knocks.
It has been boom-and-bust cricket, with precious little boom. But late in the day there was a rescue package from Ed Joyce, who followed his first-innings 90 with a more fluent 55. It has been a memorable Sussex debut for him.
Lancashire scored 299 to Sussex's 289. But they took such a long time doing it that both sides looked in need of a fifth day to produce a positive result. Sussex, it seemed, would have to be bowled out cheaply in their second innings if either side was to have a chance of victory. But that possibility suddenly presented itself when Gary Keedy took the wickets of Murray Goodwin and Matt Prior in the space of three deliveries and then dismissed Joyce, lbw, in the last over of the day.
Sussex closed on 148 for five and are once again looking to Luke Wright, who is 35 not out, to play important cricket. He was dropped at slip when 17. Earlier, Wright had achieved his first five-for return, getting plenty of movement in the hazy conditions in the morning.
His figures were five for 80, comfortably beating the three for 33 he took against Surrey at this ground four years ago. Having lost his England one-day place, this is a big year for the all-rounder. He said: "It was disappointing just before Christmas to find out I wasn't going to the West Indies for the one-day series. But I want to get back as soon as I can. The Twenty20 World Cup is first, so the main thing is to get into the squad when it is shortened down."
Lancashire had resumed on 209 for four and lost their fifth wicket to the first ball of the second over when Steven Croft edged Wright to Joyce at first slip. Later, Joyce put down Luke Sutton, on four, with the first delivery with the new ball. The visitors looked capable of gaining an important first-innings advantage but lost their last five wickets for 46 runs as Wright bustled in from the top end of the ground. There were five catches for Prior, who has had a less happy time in front of the stumps with four runs in two knocks.
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