Match report day 3: Sussex v Lancs in Championship 2003 by Neil Adams

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Scorecard:

Sussex v Lancashire

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Summary for Day 3

On the coolest day of the match so far, temperatures boiled over both on and off the pitch during the last session of the day. Sussex's blinkered supporters openly blamed Lancashire for bowling exceptionally slowly and wasting time. They completely failed to understand that their own team had batted so slowly during their second innings that they had failed to reach a defendable total by the close of play. Consequently, they expected the visitors to bowl more overs to compensate for their own inadequacies and poor leadership. With Lancashire's over rate topping +16 at one stage, no one including the umpires could criticize. Sussex posted their 100 in the 43rd over - too bad it was not Lancashire's fault. One spectator challenged Gary Keedy as he left the field, several others approached myself and my colleague Jim McCabe. All of them were put in their place. With all three results still possible on the final day, one can only hope that Lancashire take up the challenge set by Sussex and leave them with egg on their faces! After all a draw only satisfies Surrey

 

Bowling Performance of the Day

Peter Martin's opening spell of 2 for 12 from 8 overs helped turn the game on its head and reduced Sussex to 2 for 2 at one stage (The equivalent of 10 for 2). He finished the day with 3 for 38 from 16 overs. He regularly beat the bat and commanded the utmost respect from Sussex's batsmen. Unfortunately, no other Lancashire bowler managed to take a wicket although Hooper was unlucky to see a couple of chances put down

 

Batting Performance of the Day

John Wood steered Lancashire's tail (Gary Keedy!) to post 377, thus giving away only an 8 run lead to Sussex. Wood's innings of 30 contained 4 boundaries. He tried his best to combat Mushtaq Ahmed but fell leg before wicket to the last ball of the 121st over trying to keep strike

 

Fielding Performance of the Day

Not one of Lancashire's best days in the field. Too many misfields and too many dropped chances at first slip. Warren Hegg held a super catch at the second time of asking to remove Cottey. Iain Sutcliffe held two fantastic reaction catches at short-leg to dismiss Goodwin and Montgomerie

 

Highlights of the Day

• Managing to reach 377 before being bowled out
• Reducing Sussex to 2 for 2 in the 3rd over
• Warren Hegg's catch to remove Cottey
• Lancashire's tactics - they did not cheat as many Sussex supporters claimed. Hegg made Sussex suffer for their own inadequacies - too bad

 

Lowlights of the Day

• Stuart Law dropped 3 chances at first slip throughout the course of the day - two relatively easy and one hard more difficult
• Listening to the Sussex crowd booing/slow hand clapping Lancashire - Surely, the home supporters could work out their side had accumulated runs too slowly. To try and blame Lancashire for not bowling more overs was totally bizarre
• Lancashire's spinners seemed totally unable to extract any movement or turn unlike Mushtaq Ahmed
• Far too many misfields during the last session

 

Contentious Discussion Point of the Day

Lancashire bowled very slowly in the last hour of the day. They purposefully wasted as much time as possible by tying shoelaces, removing helmets and making numerous field alterations. This is not a criticism as Lancashire overall match over rate reached plus 17. Why should Lancashire bowl additional overs to Sussex to compensate for their inability to score at an adequate rate?

 

Key Notes of the Day

• Hegg caught Montgomerie bowled Mushtaq 31 - 358 for 9 in the 115th over - Wood 12*
• Wood lbw bowled Mushtaq 30 - 377 all out from 121 overs - Keedy 0*
• Lancashire trail by 8 runs

• Goodwin caught Sutcliffe bowled Martin 1 - 2 for 1 in the 1st over - Montgomerie 1*
• Cottey caught Hegg bowled Martin 0 - 2 for 2 in the 3rd over - Montgomerie 1*
• 53 for 2 in the 23rd over + 50 partnership - 53 for 2 in the 23rd over - Adams 29*
• Lunch - 58 for 2 from 24 overs - Montgomerie 26* Adams 30* - Lead by 66 runs
• Montgomerie 31 dropped by Law - 74 for 2 in the 34th over - Adams 39*
• Rain delays play at 2.40pm - 89 for 2 from 38 overs - Montgomerie 39* Adams 46*
• Play restarts at 3.10pm - 8 overs play lost
• 50 Adams from 137 balls (7 x 4) - 98 for 2 in the 41st over - Montgomerie 43*
• 102 for 2 in the 43rd over + 100 partnership - Adams 55* Montgomerie 43*
• 50 Montgomerie from 128 balls (5 x 4 & 1 x 6) - 110 for 2 in the 46th over - Adams 56*
• Tea - 147 for 2 from 57 overs - Montgomerie 70* Adams 72* - Lead by 155
• 151 for 2 in the 60th over - Montgomerie 70* Adams 76*
• 152 for 2 in the 60th over + 150 partnership - Montgomerie 70* Adams 77*
• Montgomerie caught Sutcliffe bowled Martin 70 - 155 for 3 in the 61st over - Adams 80*
• 100 Adams from 183 balls (14 x 4) - 179 for 3 in the 65th over - Ambrose 4*
• 204 for 3 in the 73rd over - Adams 116* Ambrose 13*
• Ambrose 13 dropped by Law - 204 for 3 in the 74th over - Adams 116*
• 50 partnership - 205 for 3 in the 75th over - Adams 117* Ambrose 13*
• Adams 135 dropped by Law - 231 for 3 in the 79th over - Ambrose 19*
• 250 for 3 in the 82nd over - Adams 141* Ambrose 33*
• 100 partnership - 255 for 3 in the 84th over - Adams 143* Ambrose 36*
• Close - 264 for 3 from 86 overs - Adams 147* Ambrose 42* - Lead by 272

 

(Article: Copyright © 2004 Neil Adams http://www.cricketimages.co.uk/adams-report/intro.html)