Sussex, modeling themselves on England at Lord’s continued to make batting look a lot more difficult than the opposition.
Chris Nash was third out at 119, caught at slip for 11 the ball after driving Keedy for an imperious six. And it was 123 for four in the 28th over when Matt Machan was caught behind for 20.
It seemed a mercy for Sussex when bad light and the look of imminent rain drove the players off with eight overs remaining. Sussex were 157 for four. It looked terminal. And indeed it was.
Maybe Notts were taking some revenge for the 619 for seven declared scored by Sussex at this ground in the county’s first championship year of 2003, the highest total made at Horsham.
If you’re finding these records a little tedious you can blame my principle source, the excellent brochure produced by Sussex for the match.
Sussex, in return, were looking to Ed Joyce for a repeat of the 183 he made here against Notts in 2009 (the fourth highest individual score made at Horsham). But when he was on 40 he edged Harry Gurney to Brett Hutton, who made a good catch at third slip, diving in front of second.
Sussex’s only logical aim was to score maximum batting points and get a draw. But 40 is obviously a dangerous score. Wells had matched Joyce’s effort when he edged Gurney to Read and it was 84 for two in the 22nd over, with work to do for the home side.
Chapple is a very popular figure around the county circuit and even the Glamorgan supporters warmly applauded his third wicket of the day which came about when Cooke inexplicably offered no shot and was bowled. It’s fair to say that Glamorgan are in a spot of bother here at 61 for three. The ball is keeping really really low, poor Alex Davies is having a bit of a workout behind the stumps trying to work out whether it’s going to get to him or bounce through his legs.
There was a loud cheer round the ground when the PA announced Glen Chapple would be opening up from the Penrhyn Road end. The 41-year-old has taken two quick wickets too. He cleaned up Rudolph who’d come out guns blazing for 32 and then a thin inside edge by Ingram through to Davies without scoring leaving Glamorgan 35/2. There was also a decent LBW appeal against Bragg turned down and he was also dropped by Croft in the slips although it was a sharp chance. An eventful start to the Glamorgan innings who are still some 520 runs away from the follow-on score.
I half thought Notts might pull out at lunchtime but they went for more than another hour after the break. By the time they declared they had amassed 570 for seven.
Taylor and Read had put on 365 for the sixth wicket when Read got a thin edge to one from Matthew Hobden and was caught behind for 121.
Notts finally called it a day when Taylor was well caught at backward point by Chris Nash off Steve Magoffin for 291, his highest score in first-class cricket and the fourth highest score by a Nottinghamshire batsman.
It was also the highest individual made at Horsham, beating Ian Bell’s unbeaten 262 in 2004; it’s not been a good week for Bell. It was also the highest score made by a Notts batsman against Sussex, beating the 268 made by John Dixon at Hove in 1897. Do you want me to go on? Ok then. The stand very nearly beat Notts’ sixth wicket record against anybody, the unbeaten 372 added by Kevin Pietersen and John (Animal) Morris at Derby in 2001.
Four Sussex bowlers made it to three figures, Hobden, Wells, Robinson and Burgoyne. In that context Magoffin’s figures of one for 53 from 31.1 overs was a miracle of economy. Sussex are up against it.
WE HAVE A DECLARATION. Croft got a quickfire 50 but when Faulkner looped one to Wagg at short cover, Lancs decided enough is enough and have come off at 698/5 with no more records broken.
It is still lovely here at Colwyn Bay and the neighbours have had their gardens peppered but no windows broken.
I’m a bit worried that with the half an hour off for rain earlier we’re going to finish too late for me to watch the brass band on the promenade at Llandudno this evening.
Lancashire are on the ropes now. It took them 24 hours and 2 minutes but they first got the wicket of Prince for 261 and then Petersen for 286 both holing out to long off. They’ve pushed James Faulkner up the order to come in and have a bash and he started with a blistering shot down the ground. There’s some pretty ugly bowling figures on the scorecard but in truth Glammy haven’t bowled badly, it’s just one of those matches.
We’ve had a wicket at Colwyn Bay. An actual wicket. This is not a drill. Ashwell Prince had some fun before holing out to long off for a career best 261. He’d put on 501 in conjunction with Petersen. The third highest partnership ever in the county championship and only the 13th time ever in first-class cricket history there’s been a partnership of 500. Steven Croft, with the worst case of pad rash ever, has come to join Petersen. No sign of a declaration.
It’s lunchtime here and Notts have added 97 runs in just 90 minutes. Taylor is on 225 and Read has made 84 in a score of 455 for five.
The leg-spinner Luke Wells has just bowled a beamer to Taylor – but a beamer to this batsman would be a half-volley to some folk.
It’s been tough work for the Sussex bowlers on a pitch that has looked as easy-natured as the surface at Lord’s. They could put this strip in a sofa sale.
So it’s Lunch at Colwyn Bay and the morning session has been one for the statisticians. Records tumbling all over the place. It continues to be a masterclass by Prince and Petersen. The session has brought 141 runs. Petersen and Prince brought up the 400 partnership, then Petersen passed 250 and the next over Prince passed 200. Then Prince took Dean Cosker apart hitting him for 14 in three balls. I suspect they’ll try and get another 100 or so then pull out.
The first hour at Horsham has definitely been won by Notts. Taylor managed just one run in the first six overs but then, looking frustrated, he jumped down the pitch to Robinson and struck the bowler over his head for four.
Then the batsman hit the last ball of the over for four to raise the 200 stand. This broke the previous sixth wicket best for Notts against Sussex, the 199 added by Billy Barnes and Harry Daft at Hove in 1887.
Sussex brought on the off-spinner Peter Burgoyne for Robinson. But Taylor responded to the new challenge by skipping down the wicket to loft him over wide mid-on for six. Then he hit him through midwicket for four before knocking a single to bring up the 400 and a maximum fifth batting point for his team.
In the next over bowled by Burgoyne, Taylor hit him for another six to bring up his 200. He had batted for six minutes under five hours and there were 28 fours to go with those two sixes. Notts are 427 for five and looking strong.
More records tumbling at Colwyn Bay. Now the best stand ever against Glamorgan beating 401 set by Loye and Ripley at Wantage Road in 1998. Petersen has just gone past 250 and Steve James’s record of 309 is in danger here. And now Prince has got his double century. Shall we run a sweep on when they’ll declare?
Petersen and Prince are still going. They’ve now broken the record partnership for any wicket by a Lancs pair beating the 371 set by Watson and Tyldesley in 1928. This is fun in one sense but you wouldn’t want to watch too many matches like this. Wickets are nice. Not that I can remember what seeing one looks like.
Bore Da from Colwyn Bay cricket club where we’ve had a spot of rain this morning and off for about half an hour. But we’re underway and I fully expect more records to be broken. The pitch is flatter than a gander’s arch - the highest 3rd wicket partnership record for Lancashire of 364 between Atherton and Fairbrother set in 1990 is under threat. As may be the record partnership for any wicket for Lancashire of 371 set in 1928 may also be in jeopardy.
Lancashire have added a further 40 runs this morning and I expect may well bat through to about 3pm by which time they could well have approaching 700.
In other news, our press tent is at the top of a steep embankment which I’ve already fallen down 3 times this morning, once whilst inelegantly trying to retrieve a ball that had come flying out of the nets.
They have started here half an hour late because of damp conditions – if yesterday was high summer it feels more like autumn today.
Notts are resuming in the crisis situation of 358 for five (well, I do live in Brighton) and they look determined to make the most of a very dry looking pitch which promises assistance for the twirly men later in the game.
James Taylor is on 163 and Chris Read is 54 not out. Sussex, who have five good seamers out injured, will once again be relying on Steve Magoffin and Ollie Robinson, their find of the season.
Magoffin has opened up from the railway end and Robinson from the town end. After a couple of overs five runs have been added and it’s 363 for five.
Morning all,
Today we have Paul Weaver at Sussex v Nottinghamshire and Lizzy Ammon at Glamorgan v Lancashire. Here’s Lizzy’s report from yesterday:
Glamorgan v Lancashire
Petersen and Prince make Glamorgan suffer in Colwyn Bay
Colwyn Bay cricket club has hosted first-class cricket since 1966 and it is a favourite among county cricket’s band of out-ground travellers. It is easy to see why they like this place. Not only is it 200 metres from the beautiful north Wales coastline but it is wonderfully intimate, too. Rarely can spectators get quite as close to first-class action as at Colwyn Bay.
Enjoy the cricket
