EDGBASTON (first day of four; Warwickshire won toss): Warwickshire have scored 177 for two wickets against Sussex
WITH a month of the championship season remaining the ECB has already been to Hove to collect the trophy that Sussex fought so hard to claim for the first time in their history last summer. The board must have a very slow engraver on its payroll, but then Warwickshire is a rather long word to inscribe.
It will take victory here and a strong finish to the season for Sussex to retain the title, and their hopes of achieving the first task diminished on a day when 44 overs were lost to the weather. Although conditions encouraged their bowlers, they came up against composed and determined batting in a long final session.
On the surface, Warwickshire simply followed the method that has served them well up to now. They won the toss for the eleventh time in 14 matches, batted and began to pile on the runs. Despite a short boundary in front of the Eric Hollies Stand, however, they were never allowed to score as freely as they would have wished.
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A second-wicket stand of 130 between Nick Knight and Ian Bell spanned 41 overs as the ball seamed and swung, with both batsmen close to offering edges at various times. Knight required 65 balls to reach double figures, and Bell appeared vulnerable briefly in the 30s and 40s when he fished at several balls to leave him outside off stump. Yet both went on to record half-centuries and Bell, with four hundreds and an unbeaten 96 in his past five championship innings, will resume today on 84, knowing whether or not he will tour South Africa with England over the winter. He has overtaken Robert Key as the leading first-class run- scorer this season.
Mohammad Akram took both wickets as he generated bounce and movement to force Mark Wagh and Knight to nick to second slip, where Ian Ward held a pair of sharp catches. James Kirtley bowled at least as well but with no luck, and Robin Martin-Jenkins, once he found some rhythm, posed different questions with his height until an expensive final over.
There was bounce for Mushtaq Ahmed and his contest with Bell, who did not appear to be able to pick him from the wrist, made compelling viewing. Not for the first time, Bell remained unflustered, whether defending, forcing square off the back foot, driving off the front or pulling, as he did for six when Martin-Jenkins dropped short. He looked a quality player in fine form.
WARWICKSHIRE: First Innings
*N V Knight c Ward b Akram 65
M A Wagh c Ward b Akram 6
I R Bell not out 84
I J L Trott not out 12
Extras (b 2, lb 4, nb 4) 10
Total (2 wkts, 60 overs) 177
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J O Troughton, D R Brown, H H Streak, T Frost, N Tahir, M J Powell and D Pretorius
to bat.
FALL OF WICKETS: 1-11, 2-141.
BOWLING: Akram 17-5-51-2; Kirtley 19-4-47-0; Mushtaq Ahmed 10-2-23-0; Martin-Jenkins 8-0-33-0; Davis 6-0-17-0.
SUSSEX: I J Ward, R R Montgomerie, P A Cottey, M W Goodwin, *C J Adams, M J Prior, R S C Martin-Jenkins, M J G Davis, Mushtaq Ahmed, R J Kirtley, M Akram.
Umpires: G I Burgess and D J Constant.