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Post by philh on Apr 13, 2018 20:34:22 GMT
It rained a little in Birmingham again on Friday early evening. Whilst the forecast is good for Saturday, rain is expected on Sunday. There’s also a concern that there are some ‘bad spots’ on the ground which may be a problem. The locals are predicting a draw already.
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Post by joe on Apr 14, 2018 18:23:46 GMT
100 more than they should have got, 50 extras and a 50 partnership for the last wicket. A very frustrating end to the day.
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Post by philh on Apr 14, 2018 19:31:20 GMT
I thought it was fascinating day's play at Edgbaston, although it ended frustratingly as Ambrose and Wright added 60-odd for the last wicket and remain there overnight.
I thought we performed with purpose and generally bowled and fielded well. Sharma must be wondering tonight how he has ended up with figures of 2-44, albeit from 19 overs, when he beat the bat so regularly. Besides one slightly tired spell late in the day, he looked unplayable at times and bowled several balls that were just too good for the batsmen to nick. He also, I think I am right in saying, had a hat trick of legitimate appeals against Trott after he rapped him on the pads for three successive balls; all were turned down but must have been close.
Robinson and Sharma opened with the new ball well, although Robinson's subsequent spells were less effective. After a shaky couple of overs, Bell batted well. He looked certain to reach 50 and having done that looked certain to reach 100 until, out of the blue, he found van Zyl at cover.
Whittingham bounced back well from an expensive opening spell, although a deep cover might have saved the six or seven fours that Bell struck there. David Wiese bowled well throughout, arguably his best performance for Sussex. He was always tight, always looked like taking a wicket and fully deserved his four wickets.
The downside of the day was the 50 runs conceded as extras. Three lots of four wides, the four byes were almost wides and a number of no balls.
As the ball got older and the wicket dried it got easier and easier to bat. Finch held a fantastic catch at 2nd slip to bring up the 9th wicket, but the 10th wicket would not come. I am not sure we did too much wrong during that frustrating 10th wicket stand, to be honest. Bowlers were changed regularly, but it was at the end of an incredibly long 48 over session.
The weather on Sunday is not too promising so we may be needing to secure a draw rather have any hopes of winning. The last wicket stand and Bell's masterful innings may have ensured that. The biggest surprise for me was Trott, who really scratched around for his 15 and had a charmed life.
I am just hoping that we get the 10th wicket promptly on Sunday and bat decently.
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Post by philh on Apr 15, 2018 12:13:10 GMT
At 68 for 1 we looked comfortable. Suddenly, some appalling batting leaves us in a mess. If the game plan was to target Stone as he bowls a lot of loose ones then fine but surely reckless batting wasn’t needed. Let’s hope the skipper can rescue this as Warwickshire’s bowling looks ordinary.
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Post by flashblade on Apr 15, 2018 12:13:24 GMT
Sussex 109 - 5. Wright caught behind first ball.  |
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Post by philh on Apr 15, 2018 12:20:08 GMT
Sussex 109 - 5. Wright caught behind first ball. Wright got a nasty ball to receive first ball. The shot selections by Van Zyl, Wells and Finch were poor. |
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Post by Wicked Cricket on Apr 15, 2018 13:42:05 GMT
Delighted - so far - for Burgess. Along with Ollie Robinson, this could be a breakthrough year for him. Now, wait for the results of a "Goatmouth!"  WHAT DID I TELL YOU!! 6 wickets for Stone. Can he take all ten? |
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Post by philh on Apr 15, 2018 20:37:06 GMT
A strange day. We started well. Salt looked comfortable as well as scoring quickly and Wells looked as though he would be there at stumps. Salt mistimed one but his replacement, van Zyl looked comfortable too. Then, mayhem as van Zyl slashed at a short one, Wells played his first bad shot and Wright gloved his first delivery to Ambrose. All wickets fell to Stone who had looked ordinary, bowling plenty of loose ones. Finch followed and at lunch it didn’t look good. Brown and, particularly, Burgess took the game to Warwickshire after lunch - they were not as gung ho as their predecessors but took chances. Sussex thought they could win this game. I might judging on one disrupted game but I suddenly felt as though the thinking was that ‘we won’t lose this game so let’s try and win it’. Maybe, I had been too harsh on the earlier dismissals if our game plan is to scare teams more. Alas, Burgess went one shot short of 50 and dark skies followed by rain have probably condemned this game to a draw. We got back out briefly at the end of the day for a handful of overs in front of a handful of spectators (I suppose you can’t have handfuls of spectators but you get my point). As joe said, that last wicket stand by Ambrose and Wright plus the burden of 50 extras may have cost us any chance of beating one of the fancied teams in this division. However, on a positive note, we look stronger than Warwickshire even if there is room for improvement. |
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Post by flashblade on Apr 16, 2018 11:54:21 GMT
Congrats to David Wiese on his 91 ball century. I have had the impression that many Sussex fans under-estimate David.
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Post by philh on Apr 16, 2018 12:32:36 GMT
Congrats to David Wiese on his 91 ball century. I have had the impression that many Sussex fans under-estimate David. After playing and missing a couple of times early on, that was an impressive and commanding hundred. He’s had an excellent game. |
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Post by Wicked Cricket on Apr 16, 2018 17:10:10 GMT
A very satisfying day. Great to see Sussex come out as the top dog. Brilliant from Wiese and good stuff from Ishant at last knockings. Under Mark Davis, would this turn-a-round of fortunes have happened? www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/43782484 |
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Post by jonboy on Apr 16, 2018 19:14:43 GMT
Yes I think most of us would have settled for that at the start of the game Most of last seasons issues remain, but collectively the side did well An unchanged team for the Leicestershire game?
I would say so, certainly nobody really put their name forward in the Seconds game today Personally, I’d like to see Garton involved, but not sure about his fitness in a four man attack
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Post by ashingtonmartlet on Apr 16, 2018 20:04:23 GMT
Congrats to David Wiese on his 91 ball century. I have had the impression that many Sussex fans under-estimate David. Hmmm...mainly due to him being a kolpak I believe... |
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Post by joe on Apr 17, 2018 4:22:25 GMT
12 points against Warwickshire away is a good result and a huge improvement on our first game against Notts last year.
Good to see the captain in the runs early doors and Ishant has hit the ground running. Wiese had the sort of game most people thought him capable of but didn’t have much evidence of for Sussex last year.
Good start, now keep it up.
Unchanged for Leicester unless Garton or Sakande rotate with Whittingham.
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Post by jonboy on Apr 17, 2018 9:21:04 GMT
Yes, probably an unchanged side against Leicestershire Is there any mileage in playing the extra bowler? All our young bowlers can take wickets, but can also go for a lot, which can be an issue in a four man attack The extra bowler would mean that they could be used in shorter spells It’s not like we’d lose anything batting wise, the lower order generally outscore the top order anyway
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