Dickson and Lees ensure that Durham deny Sussex
OpeningbattersSeanDickson and Alex Lees compiled the fourth highest partnership in Durham’s history as their LV= InsuranceCountyChampionship match against Sussex at Hove predictably petered out to a draw.
Theyputon313forthefirst wicket with Dickson making 186–hishighestscoreforDurham – and Lees 105 before bothfellinthesameoverfrom leg-spinner Mason Crane.
By then they had knocked off all but two runs of their first-innings deficit of 315 and whentheplayersshookhands at 4.50pm Durham were 364 for three and leading by 49. Sussex take 15 points from thisDivisionTwocontest,five more than their opponents.
It was an outstanding effort by the Durham pair, whose partnership was also the county’s highest for any wicket against Sussex.
Lees’ highest score when he made his England debut against West Indies in March was a modest 31, but the lefthanderonceagainshowedhis powersofconcentrationhere.
The pair did a lot of the hard work needed to secure the draw by getting through 51 overs on the third day unscathed. The only chance either offered before they were parted came midway through the morning session when Lees, on 67, mistimed a pull off Henry Crocombe only for Crane to spill a regulation catchonthefinelegboundary.
Ali Orr got his hand to the ball but could not hold a very difficult chance at short leg when Lees was on 97 and shortly afterwards the batter reached his 19th first-class century, made in three minutes shy of five hours, to add to the unbeaten 182 he scored against Glamorgan earlier in the season.
Sussexemployedfivebowlers in the pre-lunch session but a slow pitch offering minimal lateral movement and only slow turn gave them littleencouragement,evenwhen
the new ball was taken immediately it became available.
Lees hit a six and 10 fours and it was a surprise when he smashedafulltossfromCrane straight to deep midwicket.
If that wicket owed a bit to good fortune, Crane was delighted when wicketkeeper Mohammad Rizwan held a catch at the second attempt afterDicksongotathinunderedge cutting later in the same over. Dickson’s 186 included a six and 20 fours.
KeeganPetersenandScott Borthwicktooktheirsidepast
thefirsttargettomakeSussex bat again, before persistent drizzle forced the teams off.
They returned an hour later and Durham lost a third wicket when Borthwick pushed forward to Delray Rawlins’ spin and was caught by Rizwan, who had handed over wicket-keeping duties to Ali Orr by then and bowled a couple of overs of medium pace before the game ended.
Durham’s Lees said, “It turned into a bit of a dull draw. As a unit we didn’t bat very well in the first innings
on what was a pretty good batting wicket.
"When Sean [Dickson] and I went out in the second innings we just batted normally to be honest. Sean played very fluently and we capitalised on a little bit of loose bowling.
“When you don’t always feel right and can still score runs that’s pleasing. I need to get re-selected first and foremost [for the New Zealand Test series] and to be truthful I'm just trying to get my head down in the next three firstclass games.”