County Championship: Sussex on the brink after pace duo shine
Vitality County Championship Division Two, 1st Central County Ground, Hove (day three) |
Gloucestershire 417 & 81-6: Hammond 25; Seales 2-12, Robinson 2-32 |
Sussex 479: Alsop 84, Pujara 86; Goodman 3-79 |
Gloucestershire (6 pts) lead Sussex (6 pts) by 19 runs with four wickets remaining |
Ollie Robinson took two wickets in three balls as Sussex put themselves in a strong position to claim their first County Championship win of the season.
Having bowled 27 wicketless overs in the match, Robinson was finally rewarded when he pinned Cameron Bancroft and James Bracey in front as Gloucestershire slumped to 27 for four before slightly improving to 81 for six stumps, leading by just 19 at Hove.
Robinson finally struck in his sixth over when Bancroft played across a ball which cut back and Bracey, offering minimum footwork, was plumb in front of a straight one.
Robinson's workload is being managed by the ECB and his 9-3-21-2 spell was his longest - and best - spell of the season so far.
Jayden Seales had taken two wickets in his first two overs after Gloucestershire had gone in again trailing by 62 on first innings, having dismissed Sussex for 479.
Charlesworth drove loosely to backward point in the West Indian's first over and in his next, Ollie Price left a length ball which uprooted his off stump.
Skipper Graeme van Burren and Miles Hammond effected a brief recovery before off-spinner Jack Carson struck with his fifth ball when the former missed an attempted pull.
James Coles then got Sussex a sixth wicket in the penultimate over when Tom Price was trapped LBW.
Earlier, Cheteshwar Pujara, John Simpson and Danny Lamb had all passed 50 before Sussex were bowled out for 479 and it was surprising that none went on to make the first hundred of the match.
Pujara eased effortlessly from his overnight 75 to 86, but gifted his wicket when hesitating for a third run.
Simpson and Lamb, with Sussex still trailing by 103 runs, tilted the balance in their favour with a measured stand of 143 in 34 overs.
Simpson reached his fifty by lofting Gohar over long on and added eight fours before he misjudged a pull.
Lamb, who scored a century at Leicester, continued his good form with 83 off 116 balls. Looking to force the pace, he was bowled by Don Goodman attempting to ramp him over the wicketkeeper.
Report supplied by ECB Reporters' Network.
