HOVE (second day of four): Sussex, with two first-innings wickets in hand, are 69 runs ahead of Hampshire
A MAGNIFICENT game of cricket, worthy of its momentous context, is being fought out on the South Coast between teams whose skill, determination and energy have been exemplary so far. It will be the greatest shame if the weather intervenes today to the extent that a win for either side is ruled out because both still have a chance.
For the moment Sussex, trying to avert their eyes from Lancashire’s progress at Blackpool, must be content with a maximum haul of hard-earned bonus points, the fruit yesterday mainly of Murray Goodwin’s dedicated and masterly innings of 107, his sixth century of the season.
Goodwin and Chris Adams, the most prolific of Sussex’s contemporary batsmen, were the central figures alongside Chris Nash, who played an important part in only his third Championship match, but each had to work hard for his runs against an opposition led and managed with total commitment by Shane Warne.
The tense atmosphere at a ground virtually filled by a totally absorbed crowd of all ages was pierced all day by regular bellows of exasperation and exhortation from the captain and his scarcely less voluble senior professional, Shaun Udal, but there were relatively few genuine appeals. It is one of those true pitches that needs something special from a bowler or assistance from overhead conditions.
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There were clouds overhead and moisture in the air when Sean Ervine, finding the right length down the slope, claimed Carl Hopkinson, behind the wicket, and a confident looking Richard Montgomerie, at second slip, in the fourth and sixth overs. Goodwin, studiously playing himself in, and Nash, getting well forward, retrenched admirably, Goodwin scoring mainly off his trusted back foot, Nash, the 23-year-old right-hander from Horsham, played largely though the covers. He has got his chance only because Michael Yardy is on England duty but his talent has been obvious since childhood and after three fifties for Loughborough UCCE this was his first for Sussex in only his second championship match since playing once in 2002.
Warne used seven men on the off side at one point and bowled for large periods round the wicket himself when the third-wicket pair established themselves and although Nash was pinned down after lunch he and Goodwin had added 132 in 40 overs when Nash was caught off his glove, sweeping. It was another 22 overs before Goodwin, light on his feet as Puck of Pook’s Hill, had glanced, pulled and, above all, cut his way to his 29th hundred for Sussex.
When he was caught off a leg break from his 199th ball he had added a further 120 with his increasingly pugnacious captain and proved once more his ability when runs are really needed. Only 15 men have scored more hundreds for the county and this season he has gone past both David Sheppard (27) and Ted Dexter (26). Adams sounded the post-horn gallop after tea, thumping three leg-side fours off Warne from round the wicket and a six to the close boundary off Udal before edging a slash at Chris Tremlett.
But the positive approach was usefully maintained by Matt Prior and Robin Martin-Jenkins as Warne wheeled remorselessly on. He got them both, the tall one with a much quicker ball, Prior with a leg break, before some sweetly timed blows through the covers by Yasir Arafat ensured the final batting point.