Sussex finds the way to finish things off

Completely contrasting finishes to the two teams' innings have seen Sussex claim a morale-boosting 26 run win (under the Duckworth/Lewis method) over Lancashire in a tense National League match between the sides at Hove today.

For large periods of this match, the hosts appeared to be in trouble. Upon winning the toss, they almost immediately found themselves in difficulty; Ian Austin (1/32), Andy Flintoff (1/37) and Glen Chapple (2/62) all striking quickly to reduce the score to 64/4. It was only, in fact, when a swashbuckling Will House (80*) and Dutchman Bastiaan Zuiderent (68), in only his second appearance for Sussex's first team this season, joined to add a breathtaking 141 runs for the fifth wicket that there came a restoration.

Even then, though, there was no guarantee that Sussex's final tally of 213/6 would prove large enough on what looked a good batting wicket. This suspicion received reinforcement when Andy Flintoff (41) and Neil Fairbrother (41) took charge of the early stages of Lancashire's reply, lifting the score to 92/2 in quick time. Two errant shots in quick succession temporarily changed the balance, however, and Sussex's bowlers were intermittently able to drop on to a more nagging line and length as their opponents chased a revised target of 219 to win from 41 overs. The match again appeared headed in the visitors' favour as Graham Lloyd (28) and Warren Hegg (20) lifted the score to 142/4 with a flurry of singles but, once Robin Martin-Jenkins (2/37) summoned the ability to find a way through Hegg's gate, things began to unravel. Martin-Jenkins and Billy Taylor (2/30) quickly accounted for a further three victims before James Kirtley (4/45) - having earlier claimed two at the start of the innings - returned to capture another two wickets and put the finishing touches on a collapse which had, by then, seen Lancashire surrender its final six wickets for the addition of a miserable fifty runs.

The loss, one it could ill afford, leaves Lancashire anchored to the foot of the Division One table. Sussex, although still fighting its own battle to avoid relegation, has meanwhile gained for itself some much needed breathing space ahead of both Kent and Lancashire in the same zone.