Sussex seal fourth consecutive win

Sussex 392 and 64 for 0 beat Leicestershire 114 and 338 by 10 wickets
Scorecard

Sussex are already on course for an immediate return to the top flight of the County Championship after completing their fourth successive Division Two win. The home side overcame some stubborn Leicestershire resistance led by veteran Paul Nixon to complete a 10-wicket win shortly after tea on the third day at Hove.

Nixon made 93 while skipper Andrew McDonald and Wayne White both contributed 47 as Leicestershire were bowled out for 338 in their second innings. That left Sussex with a victory target of just 61 and they knocked off the runs in 13.3 overs with Michael Thornely making 29 and Chris Nash, who hit the winning boundary off White, unbeaten on 27.

Sussex have now won two games by 10 wickets and the other two by more than 200 runs and the early evidence suggests they are too strong for this division. Once again the key to Sussex's victory was the persistence of their bowling attack, with Monty Panesar playing a big part.

He made the breakthrough in his seventh over of the day when McDonald prodded to short leg after helping Nixon put on 95 in 25 overs for the fourth wicket. Nash has developed a habit of taking important wickets this season and when acting skipper Murray Goodwin brought the part-time off-spinner on just before the second new ball was due it paid an immediate dividend, Josh Cobb drilling Nash's second ball back to the bowler for a simple return catch.

Panesar struck again in the next over when Tom New was lbw offering no shot to leave Leicestershire six down and still needing eight runs to make Sussex bat again. When the new ball failed to bring a breakthrough Goodwin brought back Panesar and with the second ball of his new spell he ended Nixon's obdurate innings when he was in sight of the 21st hundred of his career.

The veteran left-hander had employed the sweep and reverse-sweep effectively against Panesar but missed this time and was lbw after resisting for four and a half hours. He faced 222 balls and hit nine fours and a straight six off Panesar.

Panesar bowled beautifully to finish with three for 77 from 29 overs but it was Sussex's seamers who polished off Leicestershire's tail after lunch. Claude Henderson lost his off stump to Rana Naved shouldering arms and Corey Collymore then dismissed White in the first over of his spell.

AJ Harris was last to go, bowled by Collymore as he prodded forward, leaving Sussex with the straightforward task of completing a victory which maintains their 100% record in all competitions so far this season.