Wright hopes Joyce stays but future remains uncertain

Sussex 527 (Wells 120, Brown 113, Jordan 52, M Taylor 4-130) beat Gloucestershire 367 (Klinger 129, Mustard 71, Miles 56, Magoffin 5-73) and 158 (Taylor 56, Jordan 4-36) by an innings and two runs
Scorecard

Captain Luke Wright has said Sussex are keen for out-of-contract Ireland batsman Ed Joyce to stay with the county but his future will be decided at the end of the season.

"It's dependent on Joycey," Wright said after his side wrapped up an innings victory over Gloucestershire. "He has huge ambitions with Ireland, and wants to achieve Test status with them. I think he is going to wait until the end of the season and see how he feels."

Joyce has scored 955 Championship runs at 73 this season, including three tons, and his departure would leave a huge hole in Sussex's top order. Joyce's young family have moved back to Ireland, but he remains five short of his stated ambition of 50 first-class centuries, which may play a part in his decision.

"In my mind he's still the best batsman in county cricket and I'd have him as long as he's playing the game. A lot will come down to how he feels, whether he wants to continue playing county cricket, but I'll be keeping on having a word in his ear trying to get him to stay."

Sussex wasted no time completing their second win of the season in the Specsavers County Championship, requiring just 17 balls on the final day to take the last of the nine Gloucestershire wickets they needed to win by an innings and two runs.

Sussex had taken total control of the game on the second and third days, as centuries from Luke Wells and Ben Brown built a 160-run lead on first innings. With Liam Norwell absent with a head injury sustained while batting on the second morning, Sussex only required nine second innings wicket and, either side of tea on Monday, they picked up eight of them for just 112.

In their way stood the Taylor brothers, Jack and Matt, who - even with an extra eight overs taken on the third day - made it to stumps just 11 runs behind, with the former smiting three sixes in his 52 not out.

On the final morning, their resistance briefly continued, with Matt punching Steve Magoffin through the covers for four in the first over, and Jack - who looked to farm the strike - hitting Chris Jordan down the ground for four more.

But in Magoffin's second over, Jack Taylor looked to clear the infield and smash Gloucestershire into the lead, but was bowled for 56 to become the Australian's seventh wicket of the match. Jordan finished with 4 for 36 in the second innings to go with his 52 runs.

Sussex gained the maximum 24 points from the match, while Gloucestershire took six. Both teams have five games left in the season, and Sussex remain unbeaten, although nine of their matches have ended in draws.