Mushy has got Sussex worried

8:44pm Wednesday 2nd July 2008

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Chris Adams has admitted the continuing concern about the fitness of star bowler Mushtaq Ahmed is having an adverse effect on the rest of the Sussex side.

Mushtaq will see a knee specialist on Friday after limping through the county's eight-wicket Championship defeat by Lancashire at Hove.

Adams said: "I can't fault his effort but when he starts limping it starts to affect us and boosts the opposition. But he is a true professional and is desperate to help turn our season around.

"We haven't really had Mushtaq at all this season and when he has played he has been in agony. When that happens life suddenly becomes very difficult for us.

"This game reminded me of matches we used to have before Mushtaq arrived when we had great spirit and commitment, we would hold a team until the last quarter and then lose because we didn't have that X-factor.

"We've got a two-week break now and I think that will do us good so that when we come back we are all in a place to deliver our best game possible. If all 11 of us do that we are good enough to beat anybody."

A couple of positive results can transform a team's position in a tight division where top and bottom are separated by only 31 points.

But getting them is another matter and Sussex will have a big decision to make about Mushtaq's future if, as Adams fears, the specialist's prognosis on his knee is not good.

Their second defeat of the season left them in sixth place but they have played more games than their rivals and struggling Hampshire's visit to Arundel in a fortnight could be billed the first relegation battle of the season if rivals take advantage of their game in hand and move above the champions.

"These are tough times but one thing is for sure, we will fight," insisted Adams.

"It would be easy to ditch the work ethic we have because it is not working but we can't do that.

"I have seen it happen at other clubs when they can't handle the pressure. We have got good players in our dressing room who can climb what is a very tight division.

"It is far too early to talk about being at the top or the bottom."

Sussex needed Murray Goodwin to continue his impressive vigil for as long as possible to save them today.

When he fell after adding just three runs to his overnight 77 their hopes of denying Lancashire effectively went with him.

Lancashire were left with a target of 107 to win at Hove for the first time since 2004 but they spent much of the afternoon fretting in the dressing room when the forecast rain finally arrived.

Jason Lewry had struck twice with the new ball and at 14-2 Lancashire hearts must have been beating a bit faster.

Andrew Flintoff survived a confident appeal for a catch behind and was dropped on 18 but it was not long before some confidence was returning to his strokeplay.

He lodged his highest score since making 89 in the Sydney Test exactly 18 months ago.

Although it has not been enough to convince England's chief selector Geoff Miller that he is ready for an international recall it would have made him feel a lot better.

He struck three sixes and seven fours, forging an unbeaten stand of 82 with Peter Horton.

Flintoff's rehabilitation will continue against Hampshire next week.

Sussex supporters will hope that their side's recovery will not take too much longer.

How can Sussex bounce back from this latest setback? Give us your views below.