Lancashire romp to innings victory

Lancashire 472 (Brown 114, Panesar 4-105) beat Sussex 243 (Gatting 90, Chapple 5-68) and 174 (Nash 43, Keedy 5-41, Chapple 4-49)
Scorecard

A devastating spell of bowling from Glen Chapple and Gary Keedy helped Lancashire to an innings-and-55-run victory over Sussex in their County Championship match at Liverpool. The majority of the final morning's play was wiped out due to wet weather and that gave the visitors plenty of hope in their bid to save the game.

When played resumed at 1.10pm at total of 24 overs had been lost. Sussex were 151 for 3 after 47 overs and still faced a deficit of 78 runs. But Murray Goodwin's men slipped to 174 all out in double quick time thanks to four wickets for Chapple and three for left-arm spinner Keedy.

At their worst, Sussex lost six wickets for 12 runs in 35 balls to fall from 152 for 3 to 164 for 9. In victory, Lancashire collected 22 points from the game. Keedy finished with innings figures of 5 for 41 from 26 overs and Chapple 4 for 49 from 19.5.

The rain may have provided the Lancashire duo with a little more assistance from the pitch but Sussex's batsmen did not do themselves any favours at all with their kamikaze approach. Chapple struck with the eighth ball of the day when he had Joe Gatting caught behind by Gareth Cross for 28 before Ben Brown left a ball from the Lancashire skipper which cannoned into his off stump.

Goodwin was then caught by Paul Horton at first slip to give Keedy his third wicket of the innings to leave the score at 154 for 6 in the 52nd over. With the Zimbabwean's departure went Sussex's last realistic hope of salvaging a draw, although Lancashire would not have dreamt that an opening-round win could come as quickly as it did.

Rana Naved-ul-Hasan crashed Keedy down the ground for six with his second ball at the crease but could only divert the same bowler into the hands of Steven Croft at silly mid-off shortly afterwards. Naved Arif was just as expansive as his team-mate and fell the very next ball - bowled when trying to crash the ball through the off side.

James Anyon was the ninth Sussex wicket to fall - and the third with the score on 164 - when he was well caught by a diving Tom Smith at second slip off the bowling of Chapple. The match was concluded when Chapple trapped Monty Panesar lbw for 4 with the last ball of the 63rd over. Sussex closed with little cheer and just three points from the fixture.