11:49am Saturday 20th March 2010
By Bruce Talbot
Sussex made it three wins out of three on their pre-season tour in Dubai where Michael Yardy’s side rolled over Surrey for 67 today to march into the final of the Pro Arch Trophy with a 34-run win.
Played out in near 40 degree temperatures at 7he Sevens Stadium, Sussex made the most of winning the toss and batting first on a pitch that had been watered first thing and baked under the sun.
As a result, the surface played meekly for 10 overs or so but once the top started to go the spinners on both sides took control making fast scoring nigh on impossible.
Joe Gatting was the Sussex hero with a swashbuckling top score of 33 from 28 balls, but otherwise only acting captain Chris Nash (10) and Ben Brown (10) limped into double figures as Surrey spinners Matt Spriegel and Gareth Batty bagged four and three wickets respectively.
All out for 101 inside 19 overs, the Sharks had to keep it tight at the start and then rely on their slow bowlers to win them the game. The game plan worked like a dream as off-spinner Oli Rayner bagged 4-7 from 21 balls while leg-spinner Will Beer snared 3-17.
Backed up by some sharp ground fielding and excellent wicket-keeping from Andrew Hodd, who took three catches and a stumping, Sussex were easily able to defend their modest total as Surrey’s youthful side succumbed inside 15.3 overs.
A delighted Nash said: “I does help if you can bat first for sure, but I also feel we’ve bowled straighter and better than most of the teams here. Although the wicket is better first up we’ve still managed to get the wickets regularly when we’ve bowled.
“Joe Gatting has got two decent scores that have taken us to winnable totals and it’s just a matter of time before he kicks on and scores heavily for us. He wasn’t even on the staff this time last year when he came out here to Dubai and he surprised everyone with his performances then and since.
“He’s a very good cricketer with a good head on his shoulders and the more he plays at this level the better he seems to get.”
Match-winner Rayner said: “Winning the toss so you can bat first seems essential in these conditions, because then we get to bowl when the pitches are just starting to go off a little.
“If I’m honest, I was just trying to bowl quick and straight, darts really, and it proved effective. It’s nice to take wickets at this time of the season and to get four was a bonus.”
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