Sussex moved well ahead of Durham on a rain-shortened day of cricket at Hove. Gurinder Sandhu, James Coles, and others gave memorable performances that raised the stakes. The match played out on the County Ground’s beautiful outfield, and Sussex quickly took the initiative as they moved through their innings.
Gurinder Sandhu put on a masterclass in swing bowling, taking four wickets during the morning session. He ended the day with an outstanding 5-83. The fast bowler’s efforts were crucial, as he helped dismantle Durham’s batting lineup. Sandhu’s performance embodied a stunning return to form. He’s already scheduled to play four Championship matches in June and July for Sussex.
Sandhu’s contributions to the match were massive. Archer—this was his first red-ball cricket back—bowled 18 overs capped at less than two runs an over and took one wicket. Archer’s return not only reinforced Sussex’s already strong bowling attack but brought levels of experience and knowhow that are invaluable in knockouts.
Matthew Potts was outstanding for Durham, taking 2-19. He started the collapse of Sussex’s Daniel Hughes, who was caught out for a duck. Ben Raine then added to Durham’s excellent bowling display by having Tom Haines caught behind for a mere 10 runs. Later, Raine bowled Danial Ibrahim, further deepening Sussex’s batting troubles.
Yorkshire struggled against Ollie Robinson who anchored Sussex’s bowling attack. Conway not only kept his team in the game, but managed to dismiss top scorer Graham Clark (51) in the process. This wicket was crucial for Sussex to keep their stronghold on the game.
Coles proved to be Sussex’s ace on the batting end. He brought up his half-century in only 65 balls, and went on to crank up the momentum further. He went on to add a further galloping 53 runs to his imperious first innings 148*. His gutsy batting gave Sussex the platform to post a healthy 361 all out in their first innings.
As expected, as that match moved into the second innings, Sussex were 111-4. They were dealt a cruel blow, but still maintained a healthy 145 run advantage over Durham. This powerful place allowed them to drive almost blindly through the nasty weather.
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