Stalemate at Hove

Solanki: return to form

LV County Championship - Division Two
Hove
Worcestershire 464 (B J M Scott 98, P A Jaques 80, V S Solanki 70, S H Choudhry 63, A N Kervezee 50) & 205-6 dec (V S Solanki 61) v Sussex 328 (M W Goodwin 111, E C Joyce 67, R S C Martin-Jenkins 66 no, R A Jones 6-115)
Sussex (8pts) drew with Worcestershire (10pts)

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Teams

• Sussex
• Worcestershire

Players

• Murray Goodwin
• Richard Jones

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Sussex and Worcestershire settled for a draw on a rain-shortened final day at Hove.

The visitors were due to resume at 76-2 in their second innings, already holding a lead of 212.

But the entire morning session was lost to the weather and, when the players did emerge after lunch, the Pears opted against trying to force a positive result.

Instead they extended their second innings to 205-6, an overall advantage of 339, before declaring at 4.50pm to bring an early halt to proceedings.

Skipper Vikram Solanki top scored with 61, while Sussex discovered the previously unknown seam bowling talents of opening batsman Michael Thornely, who claimed his maiden first-class wickets - Solanki and Moeen Ali (21) - during a seven-over spell of 2-14 either side of tea.

Worcestershire drop to fourth in Division Two as a result of Gloucestershire's win over Derbyshire. Second-placed Sussex, who came into the match on the back of consecutive defeats, are now 16 points adrift of leaders Glamorgan.

Day three

Worcestershire seamer Richard Jones claimed career-best figures of 7-115 as Sussex conceded a first-innings deficit of 136 on the third day at Hove.

Jones removed Michael Yardy (3), Murray Goodwin (111) and Ben Brown (0) as the home side quickly slumped from an overnight 188-4 to 217-8.

But a 110-run, ninth-wicket stand between Robin Martin-Jenkins (66no) and Yasir Arafat (40) saw Sussex past the 300 mark.

Worcestershire closed on 76-2 in their second innings to extend their lead to 212 heading into the final day.

Day two

Murray Goodwin hit his second hundred of the season on Tuesday as Sussex's batsmen battled back in their County Championship Division Two match against Worcestershire at Hove.

The 37-year-old made an unbeaten 109 as Sussex closed on 188 for four, having bowled out Worcestershire an hour after lunch for 464 as Ben Scott (98) was run out chasing what would have been a first century in two years.

Sussex were subsequently in trouble on 13 for two when Richard Jones nipped out Michael Thornely and Chris Nash in successive overs of his new-ball spell.

However, once Goodwin and Ed Joyce had battled through the new ball, batting became relatively easy on a slow pitch and Goodwin completed the 61st first-class hundred of his career - which came off 110 balls and included 16 boundaries including two sixes.

He shared a third-wicket stand of 169 with Joyce (67), who completed his first half-century of the season before becoming the maiden first-class victim of left-arm spinner Shaaiq Choudhry, who had earlier also made 63 with the bat.

Nightwatchman Monty Panesar lasted only six balls before giving Jones a return catch, but Goodwin and skipper Mike Yardy negotiated the last four overs to see Sussex to stumps.

Day one

Honours were just about even on day one of Sussex's County Championship Division Two match against Worcestershire at Hove.

The visitors finished the day on 302 for six as three of their batsmen made half-centuries but none were able to fully exploit ideal batting conditions as the hosts fought back.

It looked like being a long day for Sussex in the field when opener Phil Jacques and skipper Vikram Solanki put on 157 in 34 overs for the second wicket.

Corey Collymore, who had earlier claimed opener Daryl Mitchell with the new ball, eventually removed Jacques (80), while Yasir Arafat claimed Solanki (70) despite otherwise looking well short of his best.

Dutchman Alex Kervezee (50) then played aggressively with 10 fours before becoming wicketkeeper Ben Brown's first championship catch off the bowling of Monty Panesar.

Ben Scott and debutant Shaaiq Choudhry negotiated 14 overs of the second new ball to take their side to stumps.