World of sport
Record-breaker Luke guides Sussex to win
Luke Wright rewrote the Sussex List-a record books to lead his side to a crushing 122-run win over Middlesex in their Royal London One-day Cup South Group Clash at Lord’s.
The veteran opener showed maturity mixed with belligerence to hit 166, so eclipsing Chris Adam’s 163 against the same opponents at Arundel back in the early noughties.
It meant Sussex totalled 298 all out in a game reduced to 48 overs a side by early-morning rain
– a total Middlesex were never likely to challenge.
Wright’s heroics were all the more commendable as the visitors had been six for two, 30 for three and 101 for five in the face of a magnificent opening spell from Middlesex warhorse Tim Murtagh (three for 24).
Ben Brown (55) proved a staunch ally, the pair sharing a stand of 175 in under 22 overs to swing the game decisively in the south-coast county’s favour.
Such a scenario seemed unlikely when Murtagh got Middlesex off to the perfect start. Just five balls in the Ireland international had Phil Salt brilliantly caught on the deepsquare leg boundary by Nathan Sowter without a run on the board. In his next over Murtagh repeated the trick when Stiaan Van Zyl played too soon at a ball just back of a length, George Scott holding a stunning catch.
And when Harry Finch chipped one into the hands of Tom Helm at mid-on, Murtagh had three for nine from six overs.
Laurie Evans stayed while 49 were added, but when he and David Weise fell in Sowter’s first spell, Sussex were 101 for five, the revival apparently snuffed out.
Wright, though, stood firm and in Brown he found a perfect foil.
The pair built steadily at first, Wright moving to 50 before getting a life on 63, John Simpson failing to cling on to an inside edge off the excellent Murtagh.
The hosts were to rue the miss as Wright cut loose and Sussex leapfrogged Middlesex in the table.