Sussex v Warwickshire: Day 3 (From The Argus)

Sussex v Warwickshire: Day 3

10:18am Friday 11th September 2009 in

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CLOSE: Sussex 113-3 (61)

Goodwin's dismissal a big blow to Sussex hopes. Hodd has so far faced 128 balls for his 20 and produced a typically selfless innings but what an odd session. 39 runs in 31 overs and two wickets. It's desperately hard to pierce the infield once the new ball has lost its hardness which hardly makes for good cricket. Kirtley 0* and Sussex still trail by 61. I'm not here tomorrow I'm afraid - off to Carlisle to report on Albion (setting off shortly) but if you click onto my Birmingham Mail colleague Brian Halford's blog (see link a bit further down) I'm sure he will keep you entertained and informed. Back again on Wednesday for the Yorkshire game - what a big one that is shaping up to be.

WICKET: Sussex 113-3 (60.2)

Rankin comes into the attack and gets Goodwin with his second ball, good 'un two which he nibbled at and edged low to Ambrose behind the poles. Stand of 34 in 26 overs but a big blow that to Sussex's hopes. Hodd is 20 and the new batsman is nightwatchman Kirtley.

Sussex 109-2 (55.4)

Successive boundaries for Goodwin, the first of which took him from 2 to 6 from 57 balls faced. He raised his bat to acknowledge the barrackers in the crowd, although to be fair the crowd here have been very patient. Goodwin is 20, Hodd 12.

Sussex 86-2 (43)

Hodd reverse lapped Botha for the first boundary for 21 overs but there hasn't been much to write about since although Goodwin has got off the mark. He is 1 and Hodd 9. Sreesanth back for a second spell from the top end with Botha continuing up the slope. Players having a drink at the moment.

WICKET: Sussex 79-2 (35)

A painstaking stand of 9 in 16 overs ends with Yardy lbw to Tahir for 27 from 100 balls, of which only four were scored after Nash departed. Sounded like two noises there. Could have been an inside edge onto his pads in which case he was unlucky. Hodd is 4 and Murray Goodwin is with him.

Sussex 74-1 (26.3)

A torrent of runs! Two singles off successive balls in the 26th over, and then another single takes Hodd to 2. He's just survived an lbw shout from the impressive Woakes though. Yardy is 23. Good to see CMJ joining the debate today. He's right. 18 wickets fell to the seamers against Worcestershire (and Rayner got the other two). No point preparing one of these dry old wickets next week for what will be the defining game of the season whether Sussex draw or lose this match. Sussex bowled 141 overs in the first innings, of which RMJ bowled just 11. They might as well have played RHB or Gatting to stiffen up the middle order. It doesn't make for great viewing either. Get some grass on the pitch! There is a (used) wicket with a mat on it two strips away from this one but when I enquired yesterday with the groundstaff they hadn't made a final decision on the Yorkshire pitch. Another one, two strips towards the pavilion, is also under consideration. And that one has got some live grass on it. What do you lot think?

Sussex 71-1 (24)

That's right - just a single by Yardy since the wicket fell as Woakes and Botha apply the pressure, supported by constant chirping from the Warwickshire fielders. Non stop babble babble at the moment and very inconsiderate as there are probably one or two old codgers in the deck chairs trying to get 40 winks in. Yardy 22, Hodd yet to score.

WICKET: Sussex 70-1 (18.1)

Great start by Sussex but now Nash has gone for 44, lbw to Woakes who must have swung that back in. Nash got a decent stride in but not enough for umpire Gough. Yardy is 22 and the No.3 is Andrew Hodd. He needs a score so let's hope it comes today. Yardy 22.

Hi Ryfish. Playing aggressively on this slow, low s***heap is a lot easier against the new ball so Sussex's fast start is not really a surprise. We're just debating in the box if Warwickshire would chase say 150 in 30 overs or something tomorrow. My colleague from the Birmingham Mail emphatically says they wouldn't. Long way before that scenario presents itself.

Hello David of Reading. I do read the messageboard and post occasionally but I can assure you that I was aware of the imbalance in the Warwickshire card a long time ago (when Sresanth got his golden duck):) ... and actually alerted my aforementioned Brummie colleague who posted it on his own blog - which is worth a look at actually. Far more entertaining than this drivel. See what you think: http://blogs.birminghammail.net/warwickshirecricket/

Sussex 30-0 (7.4)

Good start by the openers and Nash has just become the first Sussex batsman to reach 1,000 runs when he pulled Sreesanth for four to go to 20. Yardy is 9 not out. Others eyeing that milestone are Joyce (933) and Yardy (879). Goodwin's on 684 so he's going to have to go some in his last five innings but you wouldn't rule it out.

WARWICKSHIRE 428 all out (140.5)

Five balls into the session and Rankin is caught at mid-wicket by Kirtley off a top-edged sweep at Chawla, who picks up his fourth wicket. Clarke finished 52 not out. So six Bears made at least 50 and the rest got two runs between them! Sussex need 174 to make Warwickshire bat again. Game on.

LUNCH: Warwickshire 428-9 (140)

Lead of 174 for the Bears. Clarke got to his half-century just before lunch off 63 balls with a six and seven fours while Rankin is 1, although he will be on strike to Chawla when they resume. No chance I'd say of Sussex winning from here. There is some turn out there Harry, but it is very slow. Would be interesting ig Warwickshire had to chase 175 tomorrow but Sussex have to bat a lot better than they did in the first dig first.

WICKET: Warwickshire 413-9 (137.4)

Sreesanth out first ball lbw plonk to Kirtley. Boyd Rankin comes in to face the hat-trick ball... and digs out a yorker to fine leg for a single. Clarke is 38.

WICKET: Warwickshire 413-8 (137.3)

Troughton goes for 85 in unfortunate circumstances. He tried to work a ball from Kirtley down to fine leg and it hit his pads and rolled onto the stumps. Clarke is 38 not out and has been joined by Sri Sreesanth who apparently is an old-fashioned tail-ender.

Warwickshire 382-7 (131.2)

Five overs from Nash and he's given way to Kirtley with Chawla wheeling away at the sea end but this eighth-wicket stand is now worth 45 and the lead is 128. Warwickshire don't seem in any hurry here - they will bat until they are all out and then the term "scoreboard pressure" can be applied. Troughton 69, Clarke 26. Some good news for Matt Prior about to come up on the main site: www.theargus.co.uk/cricket in a few minutes.

Warwickshire 354-7 (123.4)

Aggression from Clarke who comes down the track and swipes successive balls from Nash for six and four towards long on. Lead now 100. He is 13 and Troughton 55.

WICKET: Warwickshire 337-7 (120.4)

Deserved wicket for Chawla as Woakes plays forward to a googly and is leg before for a duck. Clarke has come in with Troughton on 51.

WICKET: Warwickshire 336-6 (119.1)

Yardy's decision to bowl Nash has paid off as Ambrose pushes forward and edges low to slip where sub Rory Hamilton-Brown takes the catch. He goes for 50 and Sussex get a second bowling point to the delight of the crowd here. You used to have 130 overs to get bonus points but that changed to 120 this season, although it still says 130 on the scorecard. Troughton 50 and Chris Woakes has come in ahead of Rikki Clarke who is suffering from food poisoning after digesting some dodgy anchovies apparently.

Warwickshire 336-5 (119)

Yardy turns to Nash to break this partnership but Troughton flicks his last ball down to third man for his fifth boundary to bring up a 123-ball half-century, the fourth of the innings. Ambrose has just reached his 50 in this over from Chawla from 125 balls with seven fours. Stand now worth 97.

Warwickshire 304-5 (108)

Smith and Chawla have opened up. Ambrose 40, Troughton 28.

Good morning one and all. Chained to the office desk today? Shame, but you can follow the action here at Hove with my regular updates on day three of Sussex against Warwickshire. It really is like being here...

The Bears will resume at 10.30am on 302-5 with Jim Troughton on 28 and Tim Ambrose 40. Sussex had a sniff when they had Warwks 239-5 yesterday but the sixth wicket pair have since put on 63. We've had 107 overs so far which means Sussex have another 13 overs to get a wicket and a second bonus point or four and three bonus points, if you're being optimistic.

The umpire Michael Gough reckons Chawla will bowl Warwickshire out for spit in their second innings but for that to happen Sussex need to bat well at some stage today. Ed Joyce was off the field for much of yesterday with a recurrence of the hip problem which has dogged him for a few weeks and he could be coming in as low as No.7 in the second innings, depending on how soon he can get back on the field today.

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