SECOND XI: Lancashire and Sussex draw after enticing match
Lancashire Cricket’s Second XI have drawn their Championship match against Sussex at Horsham Cricket Club, after two fascinating days of cricket.
After dominating Day One, the Red Rose picked up just three wickets on a rain-affected Day Two. A superb century partnership for the eighth wicket between Joe Johnson (153) and Toby Munt (63) helped the home side get back into the game.
Lancashire’s wickets on the second day went to Charlie Parkinson, with left-arm spinner Tom Hartley taking two, before the partnership between Johnson and Munt halted the Red Rose in their tracks.
They survived until the morning of Day Three, when Munt fell, caught by George Bell off the bowling of Jack Blatherwick. That brought to an end a superb 136-run partnership between the pair.
Johnson passed 150 before he fell to Hartley, caught in the deep by Michael Jones, with George Harris wrapping up the innings shortly after.
The Red Rose then went into bat, looking to build on a sizeable lead. Openers Jones and Rian Maisuria both fell early on, with Bell also losing his wicket in the 5th over for a brisk 26 off just 15 balls.
Harris and Hartley helped their side recover and put on 68 before Harris was out bowled for a well-made 40. Despite losing Jack Blatherwick (18) and Ollie Sutton (10) before the 30-over mark, all-rounder Hartley continued to be a thorn in the Sussex side.
He scored a crucial 63 from 75 balls, hitting nine boundaries and a six, to top score for Lancashire in their second innings. Hartley was eventually out LBW, with 168 on the board, and Parkinson fell four runs later.
With just two wickets in hand, the tail wagged for Lancs. Number nine, Ieuan Morris (35), and number 10, Charlie Barnard (34), put on a superb 51 for the ninth wicket to help the Red Rose build on their lead.
Barnard fell, but Morris continued in the same fashion. Alongside usual opener Kesh Fonseka, who was batting at 11 due to injury, they added a further 30 for the last wicket. Fonseka, who finished not out, battled bravely and even managed to find the boundary batting one-handed.
Lancashire were eventually bowled out for 253, and Sussex started their final innings strongly. By stumps on Day 3, they were 95-0, with Wilf La Fontaine-Jackson and George Thomas both unbeaten on 43.
Things were set up for a fascinating final day, but unfortunately, due to the rain, no play was possible, and the match was declared a draw before 1pm.
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