Sussex on course for promotion after draw
Sussex remained on course for an immediate return to County Championship Division One after comfortably securing a draw against Glamorgan at Hove
30-Aug-2010
Sussex remained on course for an immediate return to County Championship Division One after comfortably securing a draw against Glamorgan at Hove. Second-placed Glamorgan were bowled out for 210 on the final afternoon following an inspired post-lunch spell by Luke Wright when he took 4 for 24 in seven overs. It left Sussex needing 261 to win from 45 overs and, after losing Chris Nash and Ben Brown to catches behind the wicket off Huw Waters early on, they settled for batting practice.
Murray Goodwin finished with an unbeaten 58, made off 63 balls with eight fours and a six, and Ed Joyce was 24 not out as Sussex closed on 93 for 2 from 27 overs when the players shook hands at 5pm. It means Sussex are 19 points clear of Glamorgan at the top of Division Two with two games to go and a hefty 41 in front of third-placed Worcestershire.
Yasir Arafat made two quick breakthroughs at the start of the final day to revive their hopes when he had Gareth Rees caught behind and Will Bragg, playing across the line, leg before in successive overs. But a stand of 69 in 13 overs between Ben Wright and Tom Maynard settled Glamorgan nerves and when Maynard, who played some outstanding shots off the back foot, began to pepper the boundary the visitors must have had hopes of setting a target.
But Ben Wright flashed a slower ball from Corey Collymore to backward point and James Allenby gloved a catch to the wicketkeeper when James Anyon dropped short. At that stage Glamorgan's lead was 177 but skipper Mark Wallace and Maynard added 47 in nine overs prior to lunch before Luke Wright, who had bowled poorly in the first innings, found some rhythm and control.
He went round the wicket to have Wallace caught behind before Maynard was leg before for a composed 76 from 104 balls which included 10 fours and a six off Monty Panesar. Dean Cosker had his off stump uprooted two balls later and in his next over Luke Wright yorked David Harrison, his third wicket in 10 deliveries. Anyon finished off the innings when Waters was caught behind but crucially the last-wicket pair frustrated Sussex for seven overs.
Their run chase began badly when Nash fell for a duck, driving at Waters, and when Brown was caught behind in the sixth over as he pushed forward it was Glamorgan who entertained hopes of victory. But Goodwin and Joyce looked comfortable enough as they played out time and Sussex stayed on course to win the title.
