This match had simmered, spitting and bubbling, and reached a maddening conclusion. A tense victory left Middlesex second top, chasing Yorkshire’s tail, and Sussex second bottom, just three points above Hampshire, mired in a scrap to avoid relegation and down to the bare bones in terms of personnel.
Even if turning round a 66-run first-innings deficit made this a fine win for Middlesex, what a brutal, cruel defeat for Sussex. The final day was played in that head-spinning, intoxicating spirit; this was a wonderful game to watch, but surely a torrid one to play.
The sight of Ollie Rayner, seeking the final wickets, wildly kicking the turf when yet another leg-before shout was rejected told of the tension. Likewise Ben Brown, the last man to fall having shepherded the tail with maturity, diligence and elegance, on his haunches, throwing his bat, having found deep square-leg from a Tim Murtagh long-hop that begged to be dispatched.
That both bad light and light rain cost time and overs further gnawed nails and frayed tempers.
There were valiant efforts on both sides. After Sussex made a flying start to their chase, James Harris summoned a wicket with his first ball, Luke Wells caught behind cutting, and another two – Ed Joyce and Matt Machan – in his next over to swing the game back Middlesex’s way.
Later, Toby Roland-Jones bowled 15 consecutive overs, prising out Chris Nash (66), Ashar Zaidi (16) and Ollie Robinson (10) to leave just two wickets standing.
For Sussex, Nash looked composed enough to win it all alone, cutting with poise and driving with authority. How different the outcome could have been had Rayner, who took a fine, leaping catch at second slip to dismiss him, been an inch shorter. Then there was Brown, who has form as a rearguard general and farmed the strike, protecting the tail, yet still found the fence at midwicket and cover to keep Sussex ticking towards a target that so often looked unlikely.
The pair added 60 while Brown found 82 more after Nash was sixth out, including 30 with the last man Chris Liddle.
Sussex started the day in businesslike fashion, needing just three overs to dismiss Middlesex, with Murtagh flicking to mid-on and Ravi Patel caught at slip.
After Harris’s burst, Sussex got to lunch three down only for Patel to spin one past Mike Yardy and take his off-bail shortly after. Luke Wright looked to attack, hitting Patel down the ground, but became Murtagh’s 500th first-class wicket for Middlesex, caught in the cordon. From here Nash, then Brown – dropped on 36 by Rayner and turning down singles as the tail wagged – defied a likely attack but fell inches short. Injuries have left Sussex threadbare but their fighting spirit remains.
