Day belongs to Sussex

Michael Bevan scored the 44th first-class hundred of his career in giving Sussex a good grip on their Division Two championship match with Essex. His second hundred of the season put Sussex 231 runs ahead at 243-5. He was unbeaten on 105 at close having received good support from Chris Adams (53) and Robert Martin-Jenkins (37) in a day that belonged to Sussex.

The Australian struck two sixes and nine fours in his almost 270 minutes at the crease. Adams,who hit two sixes and five fours in just 83 balls at the crease, shared with Bevan in a stand of 103 runs in 29 overs. His innings ended to a magnificent one-handed catch at first slip by Stuart Law. After which Ronnie Irani was l.b.w to Tony Cottey first ball.

Then Martin-Jenkins and Bevan put on 89 runs for the fifth wicket but three latter was caught at the wicket in the final over. Earlier James Kirtley had his best summer return of 6-85 as Essex collapsed from 234-6 overnight to 277 all out in 80 minutes. He took three wickets for four runs in 14 deliveries. First he had Stephen Peters (46) taken in the slips,and had Ashley Cowan l.b.w without further score, and finished by knocking back Mark Ilott's off-stump.