Procter props up Northants before weather closes in again

Sussex and Northants finished the second day of their Vitality County Championship Division Two game with honours even at Hove. Northants were 292 for 7 at the close and with more time lost to rain and bad light a draw is the favourite result.

Northants resumed on 95 for 2 with both Luke Procter and Karun Nair looking in good touch. Nair raised the fifty partnership when he slash-cut Seales over backward-point for six before cover-driving the next delivery for four.

From the Cromwell Road end, Ollie Robinson bowled with five slips as John Simpson, the Sussex captain, experimented with a number of funky fields in an effort to make something happen. But if that placed pressure on the Northants batsmen it also left plenty of gaps in the field, and required the bowlers to hit their lengths.

When Northants lost their third wicket, at 177, it was something of a gift. Nair, who had batted with classy ease for his 57, hit an ordinary delivery from Danny Lamb - who was in the middle of an eye-catching gallop down the hill - straight to short extra-cover, when James Coles took a sharp catch. At lunch, Northants were 202 for 3, with Procter on 82 and George Bartlett, making a nervous-looking debut after signing from Somerset at the end of last season, on 17.

After the break, Sussex stepped up a gear. Coles bowled his slow left-arm deliveries at a quicker pace than usual to another attacking field. Bartlett, in particular, had difficulty against him though the batter got his own back when he drove Jack Carson for a straight six.

Procter looked more composed than his partner, so it was some surprise when, at 222, the Northants skipper was well caught by Tom Clark at first slip as he attempted to drive Coles. Procter had hit eight fours and a six in his 225-ball 92.

Sussex then took the new ball and with the second delivery with it Seales had Bartlett caught at third slip by Coles for 27 to make it 228 for 5. It was an excellent delivery, shaping into the batsmen and then seaming away off the pitch.

Twenty runs later Robinson, in his 18th over of the innings, finally got a deserved first wicket when he had Rob Keogh caught at first slip by Tom Alsop. Northants had lost three wicket in ten overs. But to their relief they edged to their first batting point shortly afterwards. Last season, when they were relegated from the Division One, Northants did not secure their first batting point until their fourth match.

With the light fading, Sussex went back to their spinners and Coles picked up his second wicket when Saif Zaib was well caught by Oli Carter at short leg. But the rain was not far away and it drove the players from the field with tea just round the corner. Play was abandoned for the day a little more than an hour later.