Sussex exploit lack of confidence in Foxes’ batting

LV = County Championship, Division Two, Uptonsteel County Ground: Leicestershire 210, Sussex

39-1

SUSSEX overcame the loss of England seamer Ollie Robinson to food poisoning and dismissed Leicestershire for just 210 after Foxes captain Colin Ackermann chose to bat first on a good if dry pitch, writes Richard Rae.

Robinson managed just a single over at half pace before leaving the field but the Sussex attack responded impressively to adversity, bowling tightly and taking advantage of the lack of confidence in the home side’s batting line-up.

Henry Crocomber and Aaron Beard both took three wickets and there were two victims for left-arm spinner Delroy Rawlins.

It took a battling display by Leicestershire’s lower order to secure a single batting bonus point for the hosts, who in six first innings this season have passed 300 only once.

Left-arm spinner Callum Parkinson did strike in the final over, having Sussex opener Tom Alsop caught at slip to give the Foxes hope.

Ackermann and batter Lewis Hill came back into the Leicestershire side, having recovered from a bruised hand and fractured thumb respectively, while Sussex were without Mohammad Rizwan, due to a family bereavement, and loanee Mason Crane, recalled by home county Hampshire, as well as Robinson for much of the day.

But the Sussex bowlers tied down openers Hassan Azad and Sam Evans, before Evans pushed at a delivery from Crocombe and was caught at second slip by Tom Clark.

Azad, in partnership with Rishi Patel, looked set to see the home side through until lunch before pushing a delivery from Rawlins into the offside and being called for a single by Patel.

Azad is not the fastest of runners and Alsop, running from slip towards back point, got his throw back to

Rawlins in time to beat the Foxes’ opener home.

Matters did not improve for the Foxes after the interval. Patel edged a lifting delivery from Beard to second slip before Ackermann chopped Haines into his stumps to leave Leicestershire on 104-4.

Hill tried to force the pace, reaching 35 at a run a ball before top-edging a cut at Crocombe high down to third man, where Archie Lenham held an outstanding catch.

Harry Swindells went quickly, leg before to a Rawlins delivery that hit him on the back leg. The in-form Ben Mike tried to force a Crocombe delivery off the back foot before he had scored, succeeding only to the extent that he edged to first slip.

South African Wiaan Mulder was a little unlucky, caught behind the wicket down the legside trying to help a Rawlins delivery to the boundary.

Parkinson and Chris Wright showed what could be achieved, playing straight and putting together a partnership of 49 for the ninth wicket before Wright went leg before to Crocombe.

Beuran Hendricks also gave Parkinson worthwhile support before top-edging a pull to be caught at deep square leg.

With the pitch looking sure to take spin, one of these sides may finally get their first win this season.