County Championship v Essex (Colchester) Thu 4th-Sun 7th Aug

Do you think whatever controls fate can't read your thoughts? 

There, you see? I thought Jofra would get us a bonus point and he did!

Jofra and Jordan have won two bonus points and ought to manage a third tomorrow morning, as well as clawing Sussex back into the match after the panic that swept through the top six once a wicket fell. There are positives here but only for Archer, who should be celebrated along with Robinson last year as a bright hope for the future, and Jordan who has done a lot to atone for his waywardness yesterday.

There are absolutely no positives to be taken for Luke Wright or Mark Davis. Whatever the problems are behind the scenes, these guys must be the figureheads and must take responsibility. Davis is clever, Wright is likeable and positive, but neither of them seem to be able to instil that gritty kernel of self-belief into colleagues as variously talented and able as Nash, Wiese, Brown and Wells, and of course Wright himself. In the words of someone else in a much-assailed public position: It doesn't have to be like this!

Once again, the favourite result is probably a draw, now that both sides have batted (sort of) and the pitch has shown it has plenty of runs in it and the bowlers aren't able to swing the ball, and neither side has anyone who can spin it.

Once again our friends on the essex outfielder board are less sanguine about the abilities of their own team, surprisingly given they still have a good lead:

"The close could not come quick enough has we look lost geeting next wicket .
However new due tomorrow, which we desperately need to take advantage of . Sloppy batting second time around could put us in trouble."

"... very impressed with Archer who doesn't play like a rookie & looks an all rounder, excellent batting by Joyce who looked totally in control until he got himself out. Wells should have been given out but incredibly wasn't, justice was done next ball thankfully. If we don't get quick wickets tomorrow & some kind of lead we really could struggle in the 2nd innings."

Hats off to CJ - Top knock & an early wicket

13 of which were leg byes.

It is odd, but true, that we tend to write more about bad performances than good. The highest numbers of posts this year have invariably been on days when the performance was particularly excruciating, with the last day of the Arundel game against Northants - a very dour day indeed - producing more comments than any other day this summer. By contrast there are probably more visitors to the site when things are going well, though comments aren't often posted.

The former is understandable: we feel hurt and aggrieved, want to share that with others, and want to air our own theories about how to get better. When things do improve we want to feel part of the ethos, look in to see if others feel the same, and probably write on other topics, feeling a bit bemused that more people aren't saying how well we did, what a strong position we are in. After the game  the comments tend to be of the "Of course I said this all along - they should have done this before" variety.

Anyway, Sussex are in a great position thanks to youth, to genuine talent, and in no way to any kind of dubious legacy. Tomorrow I shall be keenly watching - and posting - in hopes that there will be a second victory. And well done Leicestershire and Paul.